Computing mechanisms and linkages; ed. by Hubert M. James [under the supervision of the] Office of Scientific research and development, National Defense Research committee.

Includes bibliographic references and index.

Operator's manual : calculator set, radiac and nuclear yield, ABC-M28A1, (FSN 6665-130-3616).

"February 1975."

A functional description of the Edvac [an automatically-sequence serial binary electronic digital computer. Final report of work under contract W36-034-ORD-7593 between the Ordinance Department, Department of the Army and the University of Pennsylvania, Moore School of Electrical Engineering.

Errata, as of Apr. 1, 1950 (7 ¹., 2 diagrs.) inserted.

Punched card methods in scientific computation,

Mode of access: Internet.

Understanding technology integration in secondary mathematics: Theorising the role of the teacher

Previous research on computers and graphics calculators in mathematics education has examined effects on curriculum content and students’ mathematical achievement and attitudes while less attention has been given to the relationship between technology use and issues of pedagogy, in particular the impact on teachers’ professional learning in specific classroom and school environments. This observation is critical in the current context of educational policy making, where it is assumed – often incorrectly – that supplying schools with hardware and software will increase teachers’ use of technology and encourage more innovative teaching approaches. This paper reports on a research program that aimed to develop better understanding of how and under what conditions Australian secondary school mathematics teachers learn to effectively integrate technology into their practice. The research adapted Valsiner’s concepts of the Zone of Proximal Development, Zone of Free Movement and Zone of Promoted Action to devise a theoretical framework for analysing relationships between factors influencing teachers’ use of technology in mathematics classrooms. This paper illustrates how the framework may be used by analysing case studies of a novice teacher and an experienced teacher in different school settings.

Facilitating soil-and plant-water research through the use of TDR

The development of TDR for measurement of soil water content and electrical conductivity has resulted in a large shift in measurement methods for a breadth of soil and hydrological characterization efforts. TDR has also opened new possibilities for soil and plant research. Five examples show how TDR has enhanced our ability to conduct our soil- and plant-water research. (i) Oxygen is necessary for healthy root growth and plant development but quantitative evaluation of the factors controlling oxygen supply in soil depends on knowledge of the soil water content by TDR. With water content information we have modeled successfully some impact of tillage methods on oxygen supply to roots and their growth response. (ii) For field assessment of soil mechanical properties influencing crop growth, water content capability was added to two portable soil strength measuring devices; (a) A TDT (Time Domain Transmittivity)-equipped soil cone penetrometer was used to evaluate seasonal soil strengthwater content relationships. In conventional tillage systems the relationships are dynamic and achieve the more stable no-tillage relationships only relatively late in each growing season; (b) A small TDR transmission line was added to a modified sheargraph that allowed shear strength and water content to be measured simultaneously on the same sample. In addition, the conventional graphing procedure for data acquisition was converted to datalogging using strain gauges. Data acquisition rate was improved by more than a factor of three with improved data quality. (iii) How do drought tolerant plants maintain leaf water content? Non-destructive measurement of TDR water content using a flat serpentine triple wire transmission line replaces more lengthy procedures of measuring relative water content. Two challenges remain: drought-stressed leaves alter salt content, changing electrical conductivity, and drought induced changes in leaf morphology affect TDR measurements. (iv) Remote radar signals are reflected from within the first 2 cm of soil. Appropriate calibration of radar imaging for soil water content can be achieved by a parallel pair of blades separated by 8 cm, reaching 1.7 cm into soil and forming a 20 cm TDR transmission line. The correlation between apparent relative permittivity from TDR and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) backscatter coefficient was 0.57 from an airborne flyover. These five examples highlight the diversity in the application of TDR in soil and plant research.

Building learning communities to support beginning teachers use of technology

This paper reports on the early stages of a three year study that is investigating the impact of a technology-enriched teacher education program on beginning teachers' integration of computers, graphics calculators, and the internet into secondary school mathematics classrooms. Whereas much of the existing research on the role of technology in mathematics learning has been concerned with effects on curriculum content or student learning, less attention has been given to the relationship between technology use and issues of pedagogy, in particular the impact on teachers' professional learning in the context of specific classroom and school environments. Our research applies sociocultural theories of learning to consider how beginning teachers are initiated into a collaborative professional community featuring both web-based and face to face interaction, and how participation in such a community shapes their pedagogical beliefs and practices. The aim of this paper is to analyse processes through which the emerging community was established and sustained during the first year of the study. We examine features of this community in terms of identity formation, shifts in values and beliefs, and interaction patterns revealed in bulletin board discussion between students and lecturers.

Statin use in rheumatoid arthritis in relation to actual cardiovascular risk:evidence for substantial undertreatment of lipid-associated cardiovascular risk?

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is partially attributed to traditional cardiovascular risk factors, which can be identified and managed based on risk stratification algorithms (Framingham Risk Score, National Cholesterol Education Program, Systematic Cardiovascular Risk Evaluation and Reynolds Risk Score). We aimed to (a) identify the proportion of at risk patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) requiring statin therapy identified by conventional risk calculators, and (b) assess whether patients at risk were receiving statins. Methods Patients at high CVD risk (excluding patients with established CVD or diabetes) were identified from a cohort of 400 well characterised patients with RA, by applying risk calculators with or without a ×1.5 multiplier in specific patient subgroups. Actual statin use versus numbers eligible for statins was also calculated. Results The percentage of patients identified as being at risk ranged significantly depending on the method, from 1.6% (for 20% threshold global CVD risk) to 15.5% (for CVD and cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality) to 21.8% (for 10% global CVD risk) and 25.9% (for 5% CVD mortality), with the majority of them (58.1% to 94.8%) not receiving statins. The application of a 1.5 multiplier identified 17% to 78% more at risk patients. Conclusions Depending on the risk stratification method, 2% to 26% of patients with RA without CVD have sufficiently high risk to require statin therapy, yet most of them remain untreated. To address this issue, we would recommend annual systematic screening using the nationally applicable risk calculator, combined with regular audit of whether treatment targets have been achieved.

In memoriam: Dimitar Shishkov

Bulgarian and world computer science lost a prominent colleague: Dimitar Petrov Shishkov 22th January 1939, Varna – 8th March 2004, Sofia D. Shishkov graduated mathematics at Sofia University in 1962. In the last year of his studies he started a specialization as a programmer at the Joint Institute of Nuclear Research – Dubna which lasted three years. Then he worked at the Institute of Mathematics for two years. In 1966 D. Shishkov together with a group of experts transferred to the newly created Central Laboratory for Information Technologies. In 1976 he defended his PhD dissertation. He has been an associate professor in computer science at Sofia University since 1985 and a professor in computer science since 2000. His scientific interests and results were in the fields of computer architectures, computational linguistics, artificial intelligence, numerical methods, data structures, etc. He was remarkable with his teaching activities. D. Shishkov was the creator of high-quality software for the first Bulgarian electronic calculator “ELKA” – one of the first calculators in the world as well as for the series of next calculators and for specialized minicomputers. He was the initiator of the international project “Computerization of the natural languages”. He was a member of a range of international scientific organizations. Among his numerous activities was the organization of the I-st Programming competition in 1979. D. Shishkov was the initiator of sport dancing in Bulgaria (1967) and founder of the first sport-dancing high school education in the world. D. Shishkov was a highly accomplished person with a diversity of interests, with a developed social responsibility and accuracy in his work. In 1996 D. Shishkov was awarded with the International Prize ITHEA for outstanding achievements in the field of Information Theories and Applications. We are grateful to D. Shishkov for the chance to work together with him for establishment and development of IJ ITA.

Teaching Statistics to Engineers: Learning from Experiential Data

The purpose of the work is to claim that engineers can be motivated to study statistical concepts by using the applications in their experience connected with Statistical ideas. The main idea is to choose a data from the manufacturing factility (for example, output from CMM machine) and explain that even if the parts used do not meet exact specifications they are used in production. By graphing the data one can show that the error is random but follows a distribution, that is, there is regularily in the data in statistical sense. As the error distribution is continuous, we advocate that the concept of randomness be introducted starting with continuous random variables with probabilities connected with areas under the density. The discrete random variables are then introduced in terms of decision connected with size of the errors before generalizing to abstract concept of probability. Using software, they can then be motivated to study statistical analysis of the data they encounter and the use of this analysis to make engineering and management decisions.

The effectiveness of an intelligent tutoring system on the attitude and achievement of developmental mathematics students in a community college

This study examined the effectiveness of intelligent tutoring system instruction, grounded in John Anderson's ACT theory of cognition, on the achievement and attitude of developmental mathematics students in the community college setting. The quasi-experimental research used a pretest-posttest control group design. The dependent variables were problem solving achievement, overall achievement, and attitude towards mathematics. The independent variable was instructional method.^ Four intact classes and two instructors participated in the study for one semester. Two classes (n = 35) served as experimental groups; they received six lessons with real-world problems using intelligent tutoring system instruction. The other two classes (n = 24) served as control groups; they received six lessons with real-world problems using traditional instruction including graphing calculator support. It was hypothesized that students taught problem solving using the intelligent tutoring system would achieve more on the dependent variables than students taught without the intelligent tutoring system.^ Posttest mean scores for one teacher produced a significant difference in overall achievement for the experimental group. The same teacher had higher means, not significantly, for the experimental group in problem solving achievement. The study did not indicate a significant difference in attitude mean scores.^ It was concluded that using an intelligent tutoring system in problem solving instruction may impact student's overall mathematics achievement and problem solving achievement. Other factors must be considered, such as the teacher's classroom experience, the teacher's experience with the intelligent tutoring system, trained technical support, and trained student support; as well as student learning styles, motivation, and overall mathematics ability. ^

The effectiveness of an intelligent tutoring system on the attitude and achievement of developmental mathematics students in a community college

This study examined the effectiveness of intelligent tutoring system instruction, grounded in John Anderson's ACT theory of cognition, on the achievement and attitude of developmental mathematics students in the community college setting. The quasi-experimental research used a pretest-posttest control group design. The dependent variables were problem solving achievement, overall achievement, and attitude towards mathematics. The independent variable was instructional method. Four intact classes and two instructors participated in the study for one semester. Two classes (n = 35) served as experimental groups; they received six lessons with real-world problems using intelligent tutoring system instruction. The other two classes (n = 24) served as control groups; they received six lessons with real-world problems using traditional instruction including graphing calculator support. It was hypothesized that students taught problem solving using the intelligent tutoring system would achieve more on the dependent variables than students taught without the intelligent tutoring system. Posttest mean scores for one teacher produced a significant difference in overall achievement for the experimental group. The same teacher had higher means, not significantly, for the experimental group in problem solving achievement. The study did not indicate a significant difference in attitude mean scores. It was concluded that using an intelligent tutoring system in problem solving instruction may impact student's overall mathematics achievement and problem solving achievement. Other factors must be considered, such as the teacher's classroom experience, the teacher's experience with the intelligent tutoring system, trained technical support, and trained student support; as well as student learning styles, motivation, and overall mathematics ability.

Early Bird & Night Owl Evaluation Tool (EBNOET) v2015

The early bird and night owl restaurant tool found in the accompanying Excel file provides an estimate of the effects of offering off-peak special menu prices. Unlike the classic back-of-envelope calculation, the tool includes the effect of anticipated cannibalization of full-price covers and seeks to optimize table use. The tool also considers the revenue from new customers attracted by the early bird or night owl promotions, as well as the level of increased business needed to achieve the net monetary value target for the promotion.

Investigating assistive technology to support memory for people with cognitive impairments

Technologies such as automobiles or mobile phones allow us to perform beyond our physical capabilities and travel faster or communicate over long distances. Technologies such as computers and calculators can also help us perform beyond our mental capabilities by storing and manipulating information that we would be unable to process or remember. In recent years there has been a growing interest in assistive technology for cognition (ATC) which can help people compensate for cognitive impairments. The aim of this thesis was to investigate ATC for memory to help people with memory difficulties which impacts independent functioning during everyday life. Chapter one argues that using both neuropsychological and human computing interaction theory and approaches is crucial when developing and researching ATC. Chapter two describes a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies which tested technology to aid memory for groups with ABI, stroke or degenerative disease. Good evidence was found supporting the efficacy of prompting devices which remind the user about a future intention at a set time. Chapter three looks at the prevalence of technologies and memory aids in current use by people with ABI and dementia and the factors that predicted this use. Pre-morbid use of technology, current use of non-tech aids and strategies and age (ABI group only) were the best predictors of this use. Based on the results, chapter four focuses on mobile phone based reminders for people with ABI. Focus groups were held with people with memory impairments after ABI and ABI caregivers (N=12) which discussed the barriers to uptake of mobile phone based reminding. Thematic analysis revealed six key themes that impact uptake of reminder apps; Perceived Need, Social Acceptability, Experience/Expectation, Desired Content and Functions, Cognitive Accessibility and Sensory/Motor Accessibility. The Perceived need theme described the difficulties with insight, motivation and memory which can prevent people from initially setting reminders on a smartphone. Chapter five investigates the efficacy and acceptability of unsolicited prompts (UPs) from a smartphone app (ForgetMeNot) to encourage people with ABI to set reminders. A single-case experimental design study evaluated use of the app over four weeks by three people with severe ABI living in a post-acute rehabilitation hospital. When six UPs were presented through the day from ForgetMeNot, daily reminder-setting and daily memory task completion increased compared to when using the app without the UPs. Chapter six investigates another barrier from chapter 4 – cognitive and sensory accessibility. A study is reported which shows that an app with ‘decision tree’ interface design (ApplTree) leads to more accurate reminder setting performance with no compromise of speed or independence (amount of guidance required) for people with ABI (n=14) compared to a calendar based interface. Chapter seven investigates the efficacy of a wearable reminding device (smartwatch) as a tool for delivering reminders set on a smartphone. Four community dwelling participants with memory difficulties following ABI were included in an ABA single case experimental design study. Three of the participants successfully used the smartwatch throughout the intervention weeks and these participants gave positive usability ratings. Two participants showed improved memory performance when using the smartwatch and all participants had marked decline in memory performance when the technology was removed. Chapter eight is a discussion which highlights the implications of these results for clinicians, researchers and designers.

A utilização da tecnologia na sala de aula como instrumento de visualização e algebrização dos objetos matemáticos

No presente relatório da Prática de Ensino Supervisionada são referidas opções de ensino, procedimentos e reações dos alunos ao processo de ensino. É dada uma grande ênfase ao ambiente de aprendizagem baseado na tecnologia e suportado por uma comunidade de aprendizagem, que tem lugar na própria sala de aula ou na sala de informática. A tecnologia é assumida como um recurso constante na maior parte das aulas através do recurso a tarefas escolhidas intencionalmente tendo em vista a possibilidade de introdução da tecnologia na sua resolução. Esta implementação assumiu várias formas, tais como a exploração de calculadoras, a manipulação do GeoGebra ou simplesmente através da apresentação de ficheiros acabados, o que constitui uma forma de obter uma boa visualização dos objetos matemáticos. A aplicação dos recursos tecnológicos foi progressivamente tornada mais intensiva, atingindo o seu culminar no Projeto de Estágio, designação atribuída a duas aulas concebidas explicitamente para a exploração da temática: “Estabelecimento de um Paralelismo entre a Geometria Tridimensional Dinâmica e as Funções”; Abstract: The Use of Technology in the Classroom as an Instrument of Visualization and Algebrization of the Mathematical Objects In this paper we refer to teaching options, procedures, and to students’ reactions to the teaching processes. We give a lot of reinforcement in the learning environment based on technology and supported by a community of learners, which take place in their own classroom or in the Informatics Class. Technology is assumed as a constant resource in most part of the classes through the intentional tasks’ choosing taking into account the possibility of technology introduction in their resolution. This implementation has assumed several forms, like calculators’ exploration, GeoGebra manipulation or simply by presenting finished files, which is a way of getting a great visualization of mathematical objects. The technological resources’ application turned itself progressively more intensive, presenting its center point on Practice Project, name who was gave to two classes conceived explicitly for the thematic exploration: “The establishment of a parallelism between Dynamic Tridimensional Geometry and the Functions”.