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1997

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Relationship Between Mobility And Academic Performance Among African-American Fifth Graders Attending Urban Schools, Wesley Merle Jr Mabin Jan 1997

Relationship Between Mobility And Academic Performance Among African-American Fifth Graders Attending Urban Schools, Wesley Merle Jr Mabin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between mobility and academic performance among African-American fifth grade urban public school students. Blacks in South Florida are a diverse group. As of 1990 the U.S. Census Bureau identified 12 different ethnic groups that comprise the Black ethnic category in Broward County, Florida. The term African-American and the data used in this study reflect the ethnic diversity. This study examined Stanford Achievement Test scores in mathematics (SATM) and reading (SATR) over the years 1992, 1993 and 1994. The SATM (N = 2208) and SATR (N = 2178) scores over the …


School Affect And Academic Achievement In Relation To Expected Self-, Best Friend, And Peer-Group Reactions, Elizabeth A. Ashley Jan 1997

School Affect And Academic Achievement In Relation To Expected Self-, Best Friend, And Peer-Group Reactions, Elizabeth A. Ashley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Children's (Grades 4-8) expected self, best friend, male and female peer groups' reactions to academic performance and school affect were examined in relation to academic outcomes as measured by achievement test scores, school grades, and peer-based performance and affect judgments. The main hypothesis that expected self-reactions would show the strongest relationship to school outcomes was supported for both sexes. Some evidence of best friend influences was found for girls, with best friend reactions to positive affect in girl targets a positive predictor of achievement, and best friend reactions to positive affect in boy targets a negative predictor. Both boys' and …


Scattering Of Sound From A Fluid-Loaded Cylindrical Shell With A Finite Length Mass Inhomogeneity, Thierry Alain Lefevre Jan 1997

Scattering Of Sound From A Fluid-Loaded Cylindrical Shell With A Finite Length Mass Inhomogeneity, Thierry Alain Lefevre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

The problem investigated in this thesis is that of an infinite, fluid-loaded, elastic cylindrical shell with an inhomogeneity of finite length excited by an acoustic plane wave. Seven inhomogeneities are considered to examine the parameters that influence the scattering. A full numerical approach and an iterative approach are developed to solve the shell and acoustic equations of motion expressed in the wavenumber domain. The response Green's function in the spatial domain is obtained using the hybrid analytical numerical technique, while the far-field scattered pressure is obtained by applying the Stationary Phase approximation. An analytical approach for the special case of …


Self-Calibration Of Parallel-Link Mechanisms, Lixin. Liu Jan 1997

Self-Calibration Of Parallel-Link Mechanisms, Lixin. Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Self-calibration is a desirable feature for an intelligent machine such as a robot that must function outside of controlled laboratory conditions. This is because it is inevitable that variations in the kinematic model arise from imperfections in the manufacturing process and changes of environment conditions. Self-calibration has the potential of (a) removing the dependence on external pose sensing, (b) producing high accuracy measurement data over the entire workspace of the system with an extremely fast measurement rate, (c) being automated and completely non invasive, (d) facilitating on-line accuracy compensation, and (e) being cost effective. This dissertation concentrates on the study …


Achievement And Satisfaction In Adult Spanish Language Courses With Compressed And Standard Formats, Alyse Lesser Schoenfeldt Jan 1997

Achievement And Satisfaction In Adult Spanish Language Courses With Compressed And Standard Formats, Alyse Lesser Schoenfeldt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

This study examined the achievement and satisfaction level attained by adults studying elementary Spanish in compressed and standard terms. Each format included 60 hours of classroom instruction; compressed terms were completed in 6 weeks, while standard terms were 15 weeks. The 90 minute, multiple choice, standardized achievement test, the Dantes Beginning Spanish I-SF 583, an attitudinal survey, and a 15 minute questionnaire developed for this study were completed by 129 students in southeast Florida, 73 in standard format courses, 56 in compressed formats. The findings indicated that adult students learning Spanish as a foreign language in compressed and standard time …


Active-Vision-Based Method For Autonomous Navigation, Erkut Erhan Ergen Jan 1997

Active-Vision-Based Method For Autonomous Navigation, Erkut Erhan Ergen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

This research explores the existing active-vision-based algorithms employed in today's autonomous navigation systems. Some of the popular range finding algorithms are introduced and presented with examples. In light of the existing methods, an active-vision-based method, which extracts visual cues from a sequence of 2D images, is proposed for autonomous navigation. The proposed algorithm merges the method titled 'Visual Threat Cues (VTCs) for Autonomous Navigation' developed by Kundur (1), with the structured-light-based methods. By combining these methods, a more practical and a simpler method for indoors autonomous navigation tasks is developed. A textured-pattern, which is projected onto the object surface by …


A Comparison Of Interpersonal Communication Style And Relationship Satisfaction Of Academic And Student Affairs Administrators In Two-Year Colleges, Patricia Jean Anderson Jan 1997

A Comparison Of Interpersonal Communication Style And Relationship Satisfaction Of Academic And Student Affairs Administrators In Two-Year Colleges, Patricia Jean Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

The purpose of this dissertation was to compare the communication style of academic and student affairs administrators and to determine whether these administrators were satisfied with their mutual relationship. The study was conducted among 109 chief academic and student affairs administrators in two year colleges from five states who took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the researcher's Relationship Satisfaction Survey. Oneway analysis of variance and the Selection Ratio Type Table were used to compare responses by groups of academic or student affairs administrators on MBTI scales of sensing or intuition and thinking or feeling. Oneway analysis of variance was …


All The Kaiser's Men: German Volunteers And The Great War, 1914-1918, Michael Brian Petersen Jan 1997

All The Kaiser's Men: German Volunteers And The Great War, 1914-1918, Michael Brian Petersen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Since its end, scholars and historians have viewed World War I primarily in terms of its impact upon the military and diplomatic spheres of European life and have also made attempts to determine responsibility for starting the war. What has been largely ignored is the plight of those who did the fighting--especially German volunteer soldiers. These young men enlisted in the war effort because of a concrete set of assumptions that were later radicalized during the war experience, which was characterized by seemingly endless labor and episodic periods of extreme violence. This transformation of beliefs had a profound impact upon …


Application Of Fuzzy Logic For The Solution Of Inverse Kinematics And Hierarchical Controls Of Robotic Manipulators, David William Howard Jan 1997

Application Of Fuzzy Logic For The Solution Of Inverse Kinematics And Hierarchical Controls Of Robotic Manipulators, David William Howard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

In this thesis work, hierarchical control techniques will be used for controlling a robotic manipulator. The hierarchical control will be implemented with fuzzy logic to improve the robustness and reduce the run time computational requirements. Hierarchical control will consist on solving the inverse kinematic equations using fuzzy logic to direct each individual joint. A commercial Micro-robot with three degrees of freedom will be used to evaluate this methodology. A decentralized fuzzy controller will be used for each joint, with a Fuzzy Associative Memories (FAM) performing the inverse kinematic mapping in a supervisory mode. The FAM determines the inverse kinematic mapping …


Application Of Manova And Mahalanobis Distance In Quality Control, Mahua. Seth Jan 1997

Application Of Manova And Mahalanobis Distance In Quality Control, Mahua. Seth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Many quality control problems are multivariate in nature since multiple process or product variables are measured and monitored in modern industry. Occasionally a multiple population, multi-variable scenario is encountered in parallel line manufacturing system. This work deals with the analysis of such system using multivariate techniques such as Canonical Analysis, MANOVA and Mahalanobis Distance. Using such techniques, the significant differences between the populations and the magnitude and directions of the variations within and between the populations were determined. Also, elimination/reduction of such variations using multivariate techniques led to a drastic improvement of the production system. A methodology for application of …


Automatic Design Of Nonlinear Controllers With Optimal Global Performance Using Best Estimate-Directed Search And Continued Propagation Cell Mapping, Charbel George Rizk Jan 1997

Automatic Design Of Nonlinear Controllers With Optimal Global Performance Using Best Estimate-Directed Search And Continued Propagation Cell Mapping, Charbel George Rizk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

The problem at hand is developing a controller design methodology that is generally applicable to autonomous systems with fairly accurate models. The controller design process has two parts: synthesis and analysis. Over the years, many synthesis and analysis methods have been proposed. An optimal method for all applications has not yet been found. Recent advances in computer technology have made computational methods more attractive and practical. The proposed method is an iterative computational method that automatically generates non-linear controllers with specified global performance. This dissertation describes this method which consists of using an analysis tool, continued propagation cell mapping (CPCM), …


Applications Of Evolutionary Algorithms In Mechanical Engineering, Kevin M. Nelson Jan 1997

Applications Of Evolutionary Algorithms In Mechanical Engineering, Kevin M. Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Many complex engineering designs have conflicting requirements that must be compromised to effect a successful product. Traditionally, the engineering approach breaks up the complex problem into smaller sub-components in known areas of study. Tradeoffs occur between the conflicting requirements and a sub-optimal design results. A new computational approach based on the evolutionary processes observed in nature is explored in this dissertation. Evolutionary algorithms provide methods to solve complex engineering problems by optimizing the entire system, rather than sub-components of the system. Three standard forms of evolutionary algorithms have been developed: evolutionary programming, genetic algorithms and evolution strategies. Mathematical and algorithmic …


Balanced Hypercube: A Versatile Cube-Based Multicomputer System, Ke. Huang Jan 1997

Balanced Hypercube: A Versatile Cube-Based Multicomputer System, Ke. Huang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

We propose the balanced hypercube (BH), which is a variant of the standard hypercube (Q), as a multicomputer topological structure. An n-dimensional balanced hypercube BHn has the same desirable topological properties of the 2n-dimensional standard hypercube Q2n such as size (2^2n nodes and n2^2n edges), regularity and symmetry, connectivity (2n node-disjoint pathes between any pair of nodes), and diameter (2n when n = 1 or n is even). Moreover, BHn has smaller diameter (2n-1) than Qn's (2n) when n is odd other than 1. In addition, BHn is load balanced, i.e., for every node v of BHn, there exists another …


Calibration Of Seepage From Steady State Simulation For Water Budget Estimation, Angela Alvarez Prymas Jan 1997

Calibration Of Seepage From Steady State Simulation For Water Budget Estimation, Angela Alvarez Prymas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Water gain/loss through seepage in the Everglades Nutrient Removal (ENR) project is a major component of the water budget. Seepage is the most difficult component to evaluate because most of its constituents cannot be directly measured. For this reason simulations from models or equations are the common procedure to estimate seepage. These procedures involve a series of assumptions and simplifications (i.e., geometry, soil parameters), which can be validated with a calibration-verification process. The accuracy of the water budget for this wetland treatment is very important because it will help to clarify and quantify, together with the nutrient mass budgets, the …


Comparison Of The Metacognitive Knowledge About Reading Of Fourth-Grade Students With And Without Learning Disabilities Taught By Two Methods Of Reading Instruction In Inclusion Classrooms, Melise Rankin Bunker Jan 1997

Comparison Of The Metacognitive Knowledge About Reading Of Fourth-Grade Students With And Without Learning Disabilities Taught By Two Methods Of Reading Instruction In Inclusion Classrooms, Melise Rankin Bunker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Although metacognition is an area that has been receiving considerable research interest in recent years, few studies have been concerned with metacognitive knowledge about reading. An even fewer number of studies have included students with learning disabilities (LD) as part of the subject pool. This reality is cause for concern. Increasingly, students with LD are receiving their reading instruction in general education classrooms. Because little is known about the effects of method of reading instruction on students with LD in general education classrooms, the purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference between the metacognitive awareness …


Correctness Analysis Of Cache Conherence Protocols Using Petri Nets, Ahmed Kamal Hassan Jan 1997

Correctness Analysis Of Cache Conherence Protocols Using Petri Nets, Ahmed Kamal Hassan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

The use of cache memories in multiprocessor systems increases the overall systems performance. Caches reduce the amount of network traffic and provide a solution to the memory contention problem. However, caches introduce memory consistency problems. The existence of multiple cache copies of a memory block will result in an inconsistent view of memory if one processor changes a value in its associated cache. Cache coherence protocols are algorithms designed in software or hardware to maintain memory consistency. With the increased complexity of some of the more recent protocols, testing for the correctness of these protocols becomes an issue that requires …


'Delicious Riot Of Things': Aspects Of Discontinuity In "Tristram Shandy", William B. Gerard Jan 1997

'Delicious Riot Of Things': Aspects Of Discontinuity In "Tristram Shandy", William B. Gerard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Tristram Shandy is a famously formless text in which the "life and opinions" of the title character appear to spill forth from the narrator without a governing theme or structure. Chronology and plot are interrupted and re-ordered. Characters are defined as mere fragments of personality, "strokes of a pen"; objects are represented as broken, snarled, and discombobulated. The subtexts and digressive tales included within the novel are incomplete as well as disruptive of the larger whole. Sterne withholds the "complete" picture a conventional novel provides, and fragmentation becomes the prevailing motif of his book: the author's motley meaning lies hidden …


Determination Of Wetland Impact Due To Groundwater Drawdown: The Application Of Aerial Photo-Interpretation, Gis Analysis, And Groundwater Modeling, Tobin Hindle Jan 1997

Determination Of Wetland Impact Due To Groundwater Drawdown: The Application Of Aerial Photo-Interpretation, Gis Analysis, And Groundwater Modeling, Tobin Hindle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Aerial photo-interpretation, GIS analysis, and groundwater modeling were employed to determine the impact of permitted groundwater withdrawal, primarily for agricultural irrigation, on protected wetland communities within Jonathan Dickinson State Park (JDSP), Martin County Florida. Since 1952, much of the wetland habitat has succeeded to terrestrial pine flatwoods in the southwestern section of the wilderness preserve of JDSP. The drying trend can not be linked to natural hydrologic impact, but strongly correlates to groundwater drawdown calculated using a three-dimensional groundwater computer model.


Crack Propagation In Concrete Structural Members Strengthened With Bonded Fiber Reinforced Polymer Plastic (Frp) Laminates, Gonzague. Gervois Jan 1997

Crack Propagation In Concrete Structural Members Strengthened With Bonded Fiber Reinforced Polymer Plastic (Frp) Laminates, Gonzague. Gervois

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

This thesis presents an experimental and analytical investigation of concrete structural members strengthened with externally bonded composite laminates with varying configurations. Parameters, such as size, type of laminate, debond, etc., are evaluated from the viewpoint of stress patterns and their influence on interfacial debonds. Stress patterns in the structure and stress intensity factors around crack tips are determined using a finite element model developed for this purpose. The study also includes a precise description of cracking and the failure function of each parameter investigated. Besides the development of an innovative finite element program, which enables the study of interfacial cracks …


Developmental And Contextual Effects On Children's Addition Strategies, Kristina E. Rosenblum Jan 1997

Developmental And Contextual Effects On Children's Addition Strategies, Kristina E. Rosenblum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Developmental and contextual effects on children's addition strategies were assessed in two experiments. The first experiment examined developmental differences in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade children's strategy use during a nonschool-related task, a board game. The children showed a developmental progression in their strategy use during the game as would be predicted by Siegler's strategy-choice model, with children overall showing multiple and variable strategy use, and a progression toward more sophisticated strategy use with age. The second experiment compared the game context with a comparable school-related math context in first graders. Three testing sessions separated by about a week, included …


Diversity Performance Of Ds-Cdma Systems In Multipath Fading Channels, George P. Efthymoglou Jan 1997

Diversity Performance Of Ds-Cdma Systems In Multipath Fading Channels, George P. Efthymoglou

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

In this dissertation, new semi-analytical expressions for the diversity bit error rate performance of asynchronous direct sequence-code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) systems in multipath fading channels are derived. Also, the PN acquisition time of a DS system with offset frequency periods greater than the code period in a AWGN channel is measured via laboratory experiments. In Part I we consider DS-CDMA systems operating in a cellular environment with multipath reception. Multipath propagation is exploited through the use of RAKE receivers. Coherent, differentially coherent and noncoherent binary demodulation schemes are considered. The multiple access interference is modeled as AWGN, conditioned on …


Driveability Of Concrete Piles Pretensioned With Cfrp, Thomas Scott Gemmell Jan 1997

Driveability Of Concrete Piles Pretensioned With Cfrp, Thomas Scott Gemmell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Four concrete piles prestressed with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics were cast, in which two piles were fabricated with CFRP transverse reinforcement. The remaining two were provided with transverse steel spiral reinforcement. The piles were designed according to Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) guidelines. The Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) was chosen as the primary data acquisition system for the pile driving due to its mobility, reliability and robustness based on the high frequency excitation. The Pre-driving analysis consisted of several stages. The estimated static bearing capacity of the experimental piles was first calculated followed by SPT sampling at the pile driving …


Duration And The Prices Of Common Stocks, Yehuda A. Konnan Jan 1997

Duration And The Prices Of Common Stocks, Yehuda A. Konnan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

In finance, the term 'duration' means the effective length of a financial obligation which is discharged in installments. This concept has a number of applications in finance like calculating the change in the price of bonds due to the change in interest rates, immunizing the value of bonds, etc. Common stocks are also financial obligations and are considered to have durations. For bonds and similar strong contractual obligations, duration and its applications are clear cut and are used widely. For common stocks duration evaluation is difficult and its practical applications hardly exist. Moreover, there are no publications of numerical results …


Diversity Techniques In Direct Sequence Code Division Multiple Access Communication Systems, Okechukwu Clark Ugweje Jan 1997

Diversity Techniques In Direct Sequence Code Division Multiple Access Communication Systems, Okechukwu Clark Ugweje

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

This dissertation investigates the performance of different space diversity combining techniques for the wireless mobile communication systems employing Direct Sequence-Code Division Multiple Access (DS-CDMA). It covers two research topics, all falling under the umbrella of diversity combining techniques. The first part deals with diversity reception of wideband DS-CDMA signals in which the diversity branches experience some correlation. This analysis is performed without the usual assumption that diversity branches are independent and hence uncorrelated. In this case, the analysis is limited to the conventional diversity techniques such as maximal ratio combining, equal gain combining and selection diversity. In particular, the effect …


Effect Of 4mat Training On Teachers' Attitudes Towards Student Behaviors Associated With Creativity, Phyllis Schiffer Klenetsky Jan 1997

Effect Of 4mat Training On Teachers' Attitudes Towards Student Behaviors Associated With Creativity, Phyllis Schiffer Klenetsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

The purpose of this study was to determine if 4MAT training had an impact on teachers' attitudes towards students' behaviors associated with creativity. Specifically, this study analyzed the relationship between the dependent variable of attitude toward creativity, and the independent variables of levels of training, grade level, years of teaching experience, and subject area. A sample of 459 subjects consisted of an experimental (N = 310) and control group (N = 149). The experimental group received either Fundamental 4MAT training or both Fundamental and Intermediate training, while the control group received no intervention. The Ideal Child Checklist (ICC), developed by …


Effectiveness Of Dropout Prevention Models As Perceived By High School Principals And High School Guidance Counselors In Florida, Joyce Tropea Bacon Jan 1997

Effectiveness Of Dropout Prevention Models As Perceived By High School Principals And High School Guidance Counselors In Florida, Joyce Tropea Bacon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

This study investigated the perceptions of high school principals and guidance counselors, in the State of Florida, of nine dropout prevention models and their effectiveness. Six of the models exemplify the most frequently used programs throughout Florida: (a) the transitional ninth grade class, (b) computer-assisted instruction, (c) teaching high school competency test strategies, (d) educational alternative centers/schools of choice, (e) vocational technical centers, and (f) youth services programs. The three newer program models, cities in schools, block scheduling and telecommunications abeyance programs, have been in use for less than three years in the State of Florida but literature identifies them …


Effects Of Accommodating Students' Learning Styles On Academic Achievement And Attitudes Towards Algebra, Nabil Afif Husni Jan 1997

Effects Of Accommodating Students' Learning Styles On Academic Achievement And Attitudes Towards Algebra, Nabil Afif Husni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

The purpose of this study was to compare the academic achievement and attitude of students who were enrolled in Algebra for College Students taught by traditional lecture methods of instruction with students taught by methods of instruction that matched student learning style preferences. This study included 84 students who were enrolled in Algebra for College Students at Palm Beach Community College. The study was designed to determine whether students' age, gender, GPA, and the number of hours worked were correlated with students' attitude gain scores or with their algebra gain scores. Four instruments were used to collect information for this …


Empirical Analysis Of The Convergence Hypothesis Across Countries: New Evidence, Blake Donald Butzin Jan 1997

Empirical Analysis Of The Convergence Hypothesis Across Countries: New Evidence, Blake Donald Butzin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

The Solow growth model examines the effects of saving, population and technological advances on the growth of an economy. Long-run economic growth is explained by the exogenous variable, technology. In this model lower income countries will experience higher rates of economic growth, which will lead to convergence in the standards of living between low-income and high-income countries. Additional theories including the augmented Solow model, which tests for conditional convergence and endogenous growth theories have been developed recently. An empirical inquiry of the convergence hypothesis has been conducted using a variety samples based on income classifications and geographical locations.


Employment Of Modern Analytical Methods For Adsorption Studies And Pharmaceutical Analysis, Wendy Marie Foss Jan 1997

Employment Of Modern Analytical Methods For Adsorption Studies And Pharmaceutical Analysis, Wendy Marie Foss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Ultraviolet spectrophotometry was employed to investigate the adsorption of phenylphosphonic acid onto the surface of alumina from aqueous solution. It was found that an initial chemisorption occurred with monolayer coverage, reaching a maximum at a solution pH of 3.0. The results were interpreted as indicating that this and related adsorptions are controlled by ligand exchange processes involving electrostatic attraction between oppositely-charged species. In a separate project, high performance liquid chromatography was employed for the quantitative analysis of aminophylline in commercial thigh cream formulations. The analysis required derivatization of the compound by dansylation under carefully-controlled conditions. This enhanced its detection and …


Evolution Of Numeric Constants In Genetic Programming, Thomas Fernandez Jan 1997

Evolution Of Numeric Constants In Genetic Programming, Thomas Fernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999

Genetic Programming is an evolutionary technique for searching through the space of S-expressions for programs that represent optimal or acceptable solutions to a given problem. Genetic Programming often has difficulty in finding the appropriate numeric constants to use in leaf nodes of the S-expressions. This thesis describes the use of local search algorithms to search for numeric constants that will improve the S-expressions found by Genetic Programming. Three methods, Multi-Dimensional Hill Climbing, Vector Hill Climbing, and Numeric Mutation are combined with Genetic Programming to create hybrid systems. The performance of these hybrid systems is analyzed and future directions for improving …