Computer Sciences Commons^™

Amazons, Penguins, And Amazon Penguins, Todd W. Neller

Computer Science Faculty Publications

This talk discussed a family of games based on Amazons (1988), a distant relative of Go (area control) and Chess (queen-like movement), innovated with the introduction of move obstacles. Hey! That’s My Fish! (2003) restricted the addition of obstacles and added varying points for position visits. Introducing original related game designs (e.g. Amazon Penguins (2009) and Paper Pen-guins (2009)), we demonstrated how game mechanics are like genes that mutate, crossover, and invite evolution of new games.

Automatic Music Transcription With Convolutional Neural Networks Using Intuitive Filter Shapes, Jonathan Sleep

Master's Theses

This thesis explores the challenge of automatic music transcription with a combination of digital signal processing and machine learning methods. Automatic music transcription is important for musicians who can't do it themselves or find it tedious. We start with an existing model, designed by Sigtia, Benetos and Dixon, and develop it in a number of original ways. We find that by using convolutional neural networks with filter shapes more tailored for spectrogram data, we see better and faster transcription results when evaluating the new model on a dataset of classical piano music. We also find that employing better practices shows …

Exploring Rwanda's Continuing Education Capacity For Information Communications Technology (Ict) Skills, Li Keen Lim

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As Rwanda strives to become the ICT hub of the region, it will need to develop its greatest asset: its people, in ICT skills. This exploratory study used 30 semi-structured interviews, observation and secondary data from different sources, schools, students and NGOs, to answer a simple question: how does an everyday, working adult Rwandan learn new computers skills for a new computer age? This study found that a wide variety of suppliers fulfil different niches that give prospective students a range of prices, content, schedules, certification, practices, etc., and that demand is increasing for a host of different reasons. It …

Computer Science And Cultural History: A Dialogue, David B. Dennis, George K. Thiruvathukal

History: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Involute Analysis: Virtual Discourse, Memory Systems And Archive In The Involutes Of Thomas De Quincey, Kimberley A. Garcia

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Thomas De Quincey’s involutes inform metaphysical thought on memory and language, particularly concerning multiplicity and the virtual, repetition and difference. When co-opting the mathematic and mechanic involute in Suspiria de Profundis, De Quincey generates an interdisciplinary matrix for the semiotics underpinning his philosophy of language and theory of memory and experience. Involutes entangle and reproduce. De Quincey’s involute exposes the concrete and actual through which all experience accesses the abstract or virtual. The materiality of their informatics and technics provides a literary model and theoretical precursor to a combination of archive and systems theory. The textuality of involute system(s)—both …

History Of Computing, George K. Thiruvathukal, David B. Dennis

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The social and organizational history of humanity is intricately entangled with the history of technology in general and the technology of information in particular. Advances in this area have often been closely involved in social and political transformations. While the contemporary period is often referred to by such names as the Computing and Information Age, this is the culmination of a series of historical transformations that have been centuries in the making. This course will provide a venue for students to learn about history through the evolution of number systems and arithmetic, calculating and computing machines, and advanced communication technology …

Card Tricks: A Workflow For Scalability And Dynamic Content Creation Using Paper2d And Unreal Engine 4, Owen Gottlieb, Dakota Herold, Edward Amidon

Presentations and other scholarship

In this paper, we describe the design and technological methods of

our dynamic sprite system in Lost & Found, a table-top-to-mobile

card game designed to improve literacy regarding prosocial

aspects of religious legal systems, specifically, collaboration and

cooperation. Harnessing the capabilities of Unreal Engine’s

Paper2D system, we created a dynamic content creation pipeline

that empowered our game designers so that they could rapidly

iterate on the game’s systems and balance externally from the

engine. Utilizing the Unreal Blueprint component system we were

also able to modularize each actor during runtime as data may be

changed. The technological approach behind Lost …

A Pattern Approach To Examine The Design Space Of Spatiotemporal Visualization, Chen Guo

Department of Computer Graphics Technology Degree Theses

Pattern language has been widely used in the development of visualization systems. This dissertation applies a pattern language approach to explore the design space of spatiotemporal visualization. The study provides a framework for both designers and novices to communicate, develop, evaluate, and share spatiotemporal visualization design on an abstract level. The touchstone of the work is a pattern language consisting of fifteen design patterns and four categories. In order to validate the design patterns, the researcher created two visualization systems with this framework in mind. The first system displayed the daily routine of human beings via a polygon-based visualization. The …

Game Specific Approaches To Monte Carlo Tree Search For Dots And Boxes, Jared Prince

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In this project, a Monte Carlo tree search player was designed and implemented for the child’s game dots and boxes, the computational burden of which has left traditional artificial intelligence approaches like minimax ineffective. Two potential improvements to this player were implemented using game-specific information about dots and boxes: the lack of information for decision-making provided by the net score and the inherent symmetry in many states. The results of these two approaches are presented, along with details about the design of the Monte Carlo tree search player. The first improvement, removing net score from the state information, was proven …

(Dis)Enchanted: (Re)Constructing Love And Creating Community In The, Shannon A. Suddeth

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines a queer fan community for the television show Once Upon a Time (OUAT) that utilizes the social networking site Tumblr as their primary base of fan activity. The Swan Queen fan community is comprised of individuals that collectively support and celebrate a non-canon romantic relationship between two of the female lead characters of the show rather than the canonic, heterocentric relationships that occur between the two women and their respective male love interests. I answer two research questions in this study: First, how are members of the Swan Queen fan community developing counter narratives of …

Finding Meaning In Calculus (And Life), Doug Phillippy

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

A 2015 publication of the Mathematical Association of America (Insights and Recommendations from the MAA National Study of College Calculus) noted that "students taking college calculus exhibited a reduction in positive attitude toward mathematics, which can affect their career aspira

Cultivating Mathematical Affections Through Engagement In Service-Learning, Josh Wilkerson

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

Why should students value mathematics? While extensive research exists on developing the cognitive ability of students, very little research has examined how to cultivate the affections of students for mathematics. The phrase "mathematical affections" is a play on the affective domain of learning as well as on the general notion of care towards something. Mathematical affections are more than a respect for the utility of the subject; the term is much broader and includes aesthetic features as well as habits of mind and attitude. This paper will analyze the findings from a research project exploring the impact of service

Reading Journals: Preview Assignments That Promote Student Engagement, Productive Struggle, And Ultimate Success In Undergraduate Mathematics Courses, Sarah Nelson

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

We spend lots of time searching for the best textbook for students. We want our students to have a reliable and useful resource to reference, as needed. We even ask them to read over certain material before classes. Often, however, we fail to guide our students in how to read the text productively. Incorporating reading journals into your classes is an excellent way to simultaneously develop your students' ability to read mathematical text and capitalize on what the students already have to offer. In this presentation, we will look at how reading journals motivate students in a variety of mathematics …

Blended Courses Across The Curriculum: What Works And What Does Not, Ryan Botts, Lori Carter, Catherine Crockett

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

Recent hype around online and blended courses touts the benefits of immediate student feedback, flexible pace, adaptive learning, and better utility of classroom space. Here we aim to summarize the results of a 3-year pilot study using blended courses across the quantitative science curriculum (Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science), in both upper and lower division, major and GE courses. We present findings on student attitudes towards this format, most helpful course components, time on task, progress on learning outcomes and faculty perspectives. This summary can be used to inform best practices in hybrid design, implementation and faculty expectations in the …

Variations On The Calculus Sequence, Christopher Micklewright

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

Many institutions have embraced a standard format for the Calculus sequence, comprising three four-credit courses covering a fairly consistent set of topics. While there is much to recommend this approach, it still leaves some fantastic concepts rushed or untouched, and it can be argued that it demands too much of students with weaker backgrounds. As such, some schools have experimented with variations on the standard format. In this talk, I will present the model that my institution currently uses, exploring the strengths and weaknesses of our particular approach. I will also suggest ideas, developed in conversation with other ACMS members …

Using Real-World Team Projects: A Pedagogical Framework, Mike Leih

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

The use of team projects in a program capstone course for computer science or information systems majors has been a popular method for reinforcing and assessing program learning objectives for students in their final semester. Using real-world group projects as a learning activity is an excellent pedagogical approach in helping students develop critical thinking, team work, real-world problem solving, and communication skills. However, real-world group projects also provide many challenges to both the instructor and students alike. Instructors or students must find real-world projects appropriate for the learning objectives in the course. Instructors must determine how to provide teams with …

The Set Of Zero Divisors Of A Factor Ring, Jesús Jiménez

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

Let A be a ring and a an ideal of A. In this paper we show how to construct factor rings A/ a and a finite set of ideals a1, a2, ... , ak, of A/a, such that: each ideal aj is contained in the set of zero divisors of A/a, the factor ring A/a is a direct sum of these ideals, and each ideal aj is a ring with unity when endowed with addition and multiplication modulo a. Explicit examples are given when A is the ring of integers, Gaussian integers or the ring of polynomials over a field.

Developing The Underutilized Mathematical Strengths Of Students, Patrick Eggleton

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

This session is intended for presenting the findings from a Spring 2017 research study conducted at Taylor University regarding influences that contribute to a student's disposition toward mathematics. In the foundation level mathematics course taught for non-majors at Taylor, students are asked to share a reflection on their past mathematical experiences. Analysis of these reflections shows general themes regarding the influences, both good and bad, that have contributed to how these students approach mathematics. We would like to use this information as well as related studies to help instructors of mathematics develop positive dispositions toward mathematics in their students.

Axioms: Mathematical And Spiritual: What Says The Parable?, Melvin Royer

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

Relational structure A is compact provided for any structure Jffi of the same signature, if every finite substructure of Jffi has a homomorphism to A then so does Jffi. The Constraint Satisfaction Problem (CSP) for A is the computational problem of determining whether finite structures have homomorphisms into A. We explore a connection between the hierarchy of logical axioms and the complexity hierarchy of CSPs: It appears that the complexity of CSP for A corresponds to the strength of the axiom "A is compact". At the top, the statement "K3 is compacts" is logically equivalent to the compactness theorem. Thus …

A Pre-Calculus Controversy: Infinitesimals And Why They Matter, Karl-Dieter Crisman

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

In teaching calculus, it is not uncommon to mention the controversy over the role of infinitesimals with Newton's and Leibniz' calculus, including Berkeley's objections. In a history of mathematics course, it is a required topic! But rancor over infinitesimals and their role in mathematics predates calculus- so much so that a popular new book is dedicated to this topic. In this talk, I will discuss not just the relevant controversies between Cavalieri and the Je

The Resolved And Unresolved Conjectures Of R.D. Carmichael, Brian D. Beasley

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

Even before heading to Princeton University to work on his doctoral degree, Robert Daniel Carmichael started influencing the path of number theory in the 20th century. From his study of Euler's totient function to his discovery of the first absolute pseudoprime, he set the stage for years of productive research. This talk will present a brief overview of Carmichael's life, including his breadth of mathematical interests and his service on behalf of the Mathematical Association of America. It will focus mainly on his two most famous conjectures- which one has been settled, and which one remains open to this day?

"Big Idea" Reflection Assignments For Learning And Valuing Mathematics, Jeremy Case, Mark Colgan

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

While participating in a Faculty Learning Community, we explored the "big questions" we wanted our students to take away from our mathematics courses. We called these questions the Big Ideas of the course and developed a Big Ideas Reflection Assignment, which we continue to assign at the end of each of our courses. Students are able to demonstrate understanding and application of their learning as well as their values and appreciation of mathematics. The assignment encourages students to move beyond a focus on technique and symbolic manipulations towards a broader and more holistic approach, including making connections between their learning …

Mentoring As A Statistical Educator In A Christian College, L. Marlin Eby

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

In this paper, I present principles based on more than thirty years of intentional mentoring as a statistical educator in a Christian college. I believe this mentoring has been enhanced due to the setting- a Christian college, and the discipline - statistics. I discuss distinctives of the Christian college setting that positively impact mentoring in any discipline with respect to the mentor, the mentee, and the pervading campus atmosphere. I focus on mentoring as a statistical educator by specifically considering the following: attracting students to the discipline of statistics, preparing students for careers using statistics, and preparing students for graduate …

The Daily Question: Building Student Trust And Interest In Undergraduate Introductory Probability And Statistics Courses, Matthew A. Hawks

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

Introducing probability or statistics to disinterested undergraduate students is challenging. Adding faith in such a classroom at a secular institution only increases the complexity. We share an unobtrusive way to build trust with students, creating a medium to both naturally share your faith and have your students look forward to attending each class. The context is the United States Naval Academy, a four-year undergraduate institution with an emphasis on leader development. In addition to a calculus sequence, Humanities majors enroll in Probability with Naval Applications or Introductory Statistics. These sophomores or juniors are split between those who have no intention …

The Topology Of Harry Potter: Exploring Higher Dimensions In Young Adult Fantasy Literature, Sarah Klanderman, Alexa Schut, Dave Klanderman, William Boerman-Cornell

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

As one of the most beloved series in children’s literature today, the Harry Potter books excite students of all ages with the adventures of living in a magical world. Magical objects (e.g., bottom-less handbags, the Knight Bus, time turners, and moving portraits) can inspire generalizations to mathematical concepts that would be relevant in an undergraduate geometry or topology course. Intuitive explanations for some of the magical objects connect to abstract mathematical ideas. We
offer a typology with a total of five categories, including Three Dimensions in Two Dimensions, Higher Dimensions in Three Dimensions, Two and Three Dimensional Movement, Higher Dimensional …

Start A Math Teacher Circle: Connect K-12 Teachers With Engaging, Approachable, And Meaningful Mahtematical Problems, Thomas Clark, Mike Janssen, Amanda Harsy, Dave Klanderman, Mandi Maxwell, Sharon Robbert

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

Many K-12 math teachers are not ready to teach from a conceptual and inquiry-oriented per

Ten Mathematicians Who Recognized God's Hand In Their Work (Part 2), Dale Mcintyre

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

Scottish philosopher David Hume (1711-1776) once observed that "Whoever is moved by faith to assent to [the Christian religion], is conscious of a continued miracle in his own person, which subverts all the principles of his understanding, and gives him a determination to believe what is most contrary to custom and experience." Evidently Hume's cynical pronouncement did not apply to Descartes, Newton, Riemann, and other profound thinkers who believed God had commissioned and equipped them to glorify Him in their pursuit of truth through mathematics - And based on their extraordinary achievements the principles of their understanding do not appear …

Introduction (2017), Association Of Christians In The Mathematical Sciences

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

No abstract provided.

Paper Abstracts (2017), Association Of Christians In The Mathematical Sciences

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2017

No abstract provided.

Understanding Music Track Popularity In A Social Network, Jing Ren, Robert J. Kauffman

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Thousands of music tracks are uploaded to the Internet every day through websites and social networks that focus on music. While some content has been popular for decades, some tracks that have just been released have been ignored. What makes a music track popular? Can the duration of a music track’s popularity be explained and predicted? By analysing data on the performance of a music track on the ranking charts, coupled with the creation of machine-generated music semantics constructs and a variety of other track, artist and market descriptors, this research tests a model to assess how track popularity and …