The need for standardized tests to evaluate the reliability of data transport in wireless medical systems

Wireless medical systems are comprised of four stages, namely the medical device, the data transport, the data collection and the data evaluation stages. Whereas the performance of the first stage is highly regulated, the others are not. This paper concentrates on the data transport stage and argues that it is necessary to establish standardized tests to be used by medical device manufacturers to provide comparable results concerning the communication performance of the wireless networks used to transport medical data. Besides, it suggests test parameters and procedures to be used to produce comparable communication performance results.

Relevance of In-vitro Tests of Adhesive and Composite Dental Materials. A Review in 3 Parts. Part 2: Non-standardized tests of composite materials

Summary The first part of this review examined ISO approval requirements and in vitro testing. In the second part, non-standardized test methods for composite materials are presented and discussed. Physical tests are primarily described. Analyses of surface gloss and alterations, as well as aging simulations of dental materials are presented. Again, the importance of laboratory tests in determining clinical outcomes is evaluated. Differences in the measurement protocols of the various testing institutes and how these differences can in?uence the results are also discussed. Because there is no standardization of test protocols, the values determined by different institutes cannot be directly compared. However, the ranking of the tested materials should be the same if a valid protocol is applied by different institutes. The modulus of elasticity, the expansion after water sorption, and the polishability of the material are all clinically relevant, whereas factors measured by other test protocols may have no clinical correlation. The handling properties of the materials are highly dependent on operators' preferences. Therefore, no standard values can be given.

Adolescent readers' self-perceptions of affective factors related to performance on standardized tests

The purpose of this study was to investigate which affective factors of adolescent high school readers were related to high-level readers, middle-level readers and low-level readers. The research problem was to determine the relationship between adolescent high school students' self-perceived reading self-efficacy factors and the students' reading performance on a standardized reading assessment considering demographic factors of age, gender and socio-economic status as covariates. The research design was ex post facto making inferences without direct intervention. The sample was obtained from one large, diverse, urban high school, consisting of 9th and 10th grade adolescent students (N = 176). Students voluntarily completed a self-report, reading self-efficacy survey. School records were used to obtain standardized reading level scores, age, gender, and socio-economic status data. An exploratory factor analysis of the self-efficacy survey responses resulted in the identification of 7 underlying factors. The striving (low-level) readers had significantly lower self-perceptions on 5 of the 7 affective factors than the middle-level readers, and strong (high-level) readers, p < .05. The 5 affective factors on which the striving readers had significantly lower self-perceptions were: (a) Observational Comparison, (b) Progress, (c) Lack of Progress, (d) Lack of Anxiety, and (e) Positive Social Feedback. The 2 affective factors which were not significantly different for reader level were Anxiety and Negative Social Feedback. Girls had significantly less anxiety than boys for both of the factors in the Anxiety category. Statistical results showed that none of the demographic covariates tested; age, gender, or socio-economic status, moderated the relationship between affective reader self-efficacy factors and reader level. This study concluded that there were distinguishable differences for striving, middle, and strong readers' self-efficacy factors. Determining affective factors related to reading can be used to create better instructional environments and instruction for adolescent students.

Nationella läsförståelseprov – på papper eller på skärm? : En studie av elevresultat på digitala läsförståelseprov gentemot pappersbaserade prov

Due to the upcoming digitalization of the Swedish schools standardized national tests, the aim of this study is to compare the results of a reading comprehension test on paper versus on computer screen and to examine whether the results differ between boys and girls and between swedish and swedish as a second lanuague students, or not. Previous studies show inconclusive results, some show that students get higher results when taking a test on paper then on computer screen, some show that the results don’t differ between the two medias. In this study, the national test for course Svenska 1 (Swedish) and Svenska som andraspråk 1 (Swedish as a second language) from the autumn term 2011 was transformed into a digital test. 38 students in the 10th grade took the test and the results were then compared with the same students results on the following national test of the spring term 2016 which is given on paper. The results show that the scores between the digital test and the paperbased test don’t differ. The boys got equally lower scores than the girls in both the digital test and the paperbased test. The swedish as a second language students got lower scores than the swedish students. The results are discussed in relation to previous research by Ackerman and Lauterman (2012), Mangen, Walgermo and Brønnick (2013), Rasmusson (2014) , Pasquarella, Gottardo and Grant (2012) and Norman and Furnes (2016).

The relationship between selected standardized test scores and performance in advanced placement math and science exams: Analyzing the differential effectiveness of scores for course identification and placement

There is a national need to increase the STEM-related workforce. Among factors leading towards STEM careers include the number of advanced high school mathematics and science courses students complete. Florida's enrollment patterns in STEM-related Advanced Placement (AP) courses, however, reveal that only a small percentage of students enroll into these classes. Therefore, screening tools are needed to find more students for these courses, who are academically ready, yet have not been identified. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which scores from a national standardized test, Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test/ National Merit Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), in conjunction with and compared to a state-mandated standardized test, Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), are related to selected AP exam performance in Seminole County Public Schools. An ex post facto correlational study was conducted using 6,189 student records from the 2010 - 2012 academic years. Multiple regression analyses using simultaneous Full Model testing showed differential moderate to strong relationships between scores in eight of the nine AP courses (i.e., Biology, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics B, Physics C Electrical, Physics C Mechanical, Statistics, Calculus AB and BC) examined. For example, the significant unique contribution to overall variance in AP scores was a linear combination of PSAT Math (M), Critical Reading (CR) and FCAT Reading (R) for Biology and Environmental Science. Moderate relationships for Chemistry included a linear combination of PSAT M, W (Writing) and FCAT M; a combination of FCAT M and PSAT M was most significantly associated with Calculus AB performance. These findings have implications for both research and practice. FCAT scores, in conjunction with PSAT scores, can potentially be used for specific STEM-related AP courses, as part of a systematic approach towards AP course identification and placement. For courses with moderate to strong relationships, validation studies and development of expectancy tables, which estimate the probability of successful performance on these AP exams, are recommended. Also, findings established a need to examine other related research issues including, but not limited to, extensive longitudinal studies and analyses of other available or prospective standardized test scores.

An analysis of the achievement of deaf children on a standardized vocabulary test

This paper examines the vocabulary responses of hearing impaired children on standardized tests.

Orthodontic brackets removal under shear and tensile bond strength resistance tests - a comparative test between light sources

We have investigated if a new LEDs system has enough efficient energy to promote efficient shear and tensile bonding strength resistance under standardized tests. LEDs 470 +/- 10 nm can be used to photocure composite during bracket fixation. Advantages considering resistance to tensile and shear bonding strength when these systems were used are necessary to justify their clinical use. Forty eight human extracted premolars teeth and two light sources were selected, one halogen lamp and a LEDs system. Brackets for premolar were bonded through composite resin. Samples were submitted to standardized tests. A comparison between used sources under shear bonding strength test, obtained similar results; however, tensile bonding test showed distinct results: a statistical difference at a level of 1% between exposure times (40 and 60 seconds) and even to an interaction between light source and exposure time. The best result was obtained with halogen lamp use by 60 seconds, even during re-bonding; however LEDs system can be used for bonding and re-bonding brackets if power density could be increased.

Higher salaries, more teaching, better performance? The effects of the introduction of the minimum salary for teachers in Brazil

De acordo com a literatura empírica, há fortes evidências de que, após o controle de características socioeconômicas dos alunos, a qualidade dos professores é o fator mais importante para explicar o desempenho do aluno em testes padronizados. No entanto, não há consenso sobre como sistemas públicos de ensino podem melhorar a qualidade dos professores. Será que o pagamento de salários mais elevados a professores da rede pública impactam a qualidade dos professores nas escolas públicas? O Governo Federal brasileiro introduziu, em 2009, piso salarial nacional para os professores de escolas públicas, provocando um perceptível aumento exógeno dos salários dos professores municipais. O principal objetivo desta tese é avaliar os impactos de curto prazo da elevação linear e incondicional do salário do professor na qualidade da educação. Devido à ausência de dados secundários sobre o valor do salário-base de professores entre 2008 e 2013, tivemos que realizar um levantamento com as Secretarias Municipais de Educação para reunir informação sobre a estrutura da carreira docente e sobre os salários-bases nesse período. Com base em nossa pesquisa de campo, o primeiro capítulo investiga a conformidade dos sistemas municipais de ensino ao piso salarial nacional para professores de redes públicas. Encontramos que fatores não observáveis/observados são determinantes para explicar a variabilidade salarial verificada entre os municípios e o cumprimento da lei, o que embasa nossa estratégia de identificação com base em métodos de diferença em diferenças, combinados com pareamento com base em escore de propensão. O segundo capítulo centra-se na estimativa do impacto da elevação dos salários dos professores sobre a proficiência dos alunos de 5º ano do ensino fundamental municipal. De acordo com estes resultados, o aumento salarial incondicional não gerou uma expansão da proficiência escolar dos alunos, pelo menos no curto prazo. Embora não tenham sido detectados impactos na aprendizagem dos alunos, alguns mecanismos de transmissão do aumento salarial para melhores resultados educacionais podem já ter sido ativados. Assim, o principal objetivo do terceiro capítulo é avaliar o impacto dos aumentos de salário sobre a qualidade dos professores atuais e dos potenciais futuros professores. Avaliamos o impacto de aumentos de salário sobre o desempenho dos professores no ENADE, uma proxy de sua qualidade, e sobre a atratividade dos cursos de ensino superior associados à carreira docente. Essa atratividade é medida por meio da qualidade dos que entram nos respectivos cursos superiores, de acordo com seu desempenho no Enem. Neste último capítulo, aplicamos modelo de Tripla-Diferenças visando controlar dois tipos de potenciais fatores de confusão: (i) mudanças no desempenho dos professores (potenciais futuros professores) entre grupos de municípios, que foram submetidos ao tratamento e os que não foram tratados, que nada têm a ver com a política; e (ii) as alterações no desempenho de todos os professores (alunos) que vivem no município em que houve a elevação salarial devido à introdução da lei. As estimativas obtidas indicam que a elevação salarial gerou efeitos leves sobre a qualidade dos professores e sobre a atratividade dos cursos relacionados à carreira docente.

Orthodontic brackets removal under shear and tensile bond strength resistance tests - a comparative test between light sources

We have investigated if a new LEDs system has enough efficient energy to promote efficient shear and tensile bonding strength resistance under standardized tests. LEDs 470 +/- 10 nm can be used to photocure composite during bracket fixation. Advantages considering resistance to tensile and shear bonding strength when these systems were used are necessary to justify their clinical use. Forty eight human extracted premolars teeth and two light sources were selected, one halogen lamp and a LEDs system. Brackets for premolar were bonded through composite resin. Samples were submitted to standardized tests. A comparison between used sources under shear bonding strength test, obtained similar results; however, tensile bonding test showed distinct results: a statistical difference at a level of 1% between exposure times (40 and 60 seconds) and even to an interaction between light source and exposure time. The best result was obtained with halogen lamp use by 60 seconds, even during re-bonding; however LEDs system can be used for bonding and re-bonding brackets if power density could be increased.

Stereotype Threat and the Standardized Test Performance of Black Children: When Does the Threat Become a Relevant Performance Inhibitor?

As Black students become more invested in the outcome of standardized tests, stereotypes become salient, subsequently depressing performance (Steele, 1997). As federal law has increased the importance of standardized testing at the elementary level, research is needed to determine when the stereotype threat becomes a relevant performance inhibitor.

The Analogy as a Cognitive Strategy that Encourages Reading Comprehension in Expository Texts

This research arises from the current state of reading in Mexico, because the contextual situation to local and national level has become critical on this issue. Results on standardized tests such as ENLACE (National Assessment of Academic Achievement in Schools) and PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) have shown that Mexican basic level students have text comprehension problems. Given this reality, this is a qualitative descriptive study on the use of analogies in reading as a strategy for reading comprehension, through application of an ethnographic survey, a questionnaire and the application of a pedagogical model for the use of analogies in reading. The study incorporates the theoretical tenets of Constructivism, referring to Piaget (1969), Vygotsky (1997) and Ausubel (2002). The results show that the use of analogies promotes reading comprehension in 4th grade students, from an expository text that compares the evolution of man and the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

Atividade motora adaptada : o conhecimento produzido nos programas Stricto Sensu em Educação Física no Brasil

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Possibilidades corporais como expressão da inteligencia humana no processo de ensino-aprendizagem

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Educational characteristics of students with high or low self-concept

In response to methodological concerns associated with previous research into the educational characteristics of students with high or low self-concept, the topic was re-examined using a significantly more representative sample and a contemporary self-concept measure. From an initial screening of 515 preadolescent, coeducational students in 18 schools, students significantly high or low in self-concept were compared using standardized tests in reading, spelling, and mathematics, and teacher interviews to determine students' academic and nonacademic characteristics. The teachers were not informed of the self-concept status of the students. Compared to students with low self-concept, students with high self-concept were rated by teachers as being more popular, cooperative, and persistent in class, showed greater leadership, were lower in anxiety, had more supportive families, and had higher teacher expectations for their future success. Teachers observed that students with low self-concept were quiet and withdrawn, while peers with high self-concept were talkative and more dominating with peers. Students with lower self-concepts were also lower than their peers in reading, spelling, and mathematical abilities. The findings support the notion that there is an interactive relationship between self-concept and achievement. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Wear resistance of TiAlSiN thin coatings

In the last decades TiAlN coatings deposited by PVD techniques have been extensively investigated but, nowadays, their potential development for tribological applications is relatively low. However, new coatings are emerging based on them, trying to improve wear behavior. TiAlSiN thin coatings are now investigated, analyzing if Si introduction increases the wear resistance of PVD films. Attending to the application, several wear test configurations has been recently used by some researchers. In this work, TiAlSiN thin coatings were produced by PVD Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering technique and they were conveniently characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) provided with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Electron Probe Micro-Analyzer (EPMA), Micro Hardness (MH) and Scratch Test Analysis. Properties as morphology, thickness, roughness, chemical composition and structure, hardness and film adhesion to the substrate were investigated. Concerning to wear characterization, two very different ways were chosen: micro-abrasion with ball-on-flat configuration and industrial non-standardized tests based on samples inserted in a feed channel of a selected plastic injection mould working with 30% (wt.) glass fiber reinforced polypropylene. TiAlSiN coatings with a small amount of about 5% (wt.) Si showed a similar wear behavior when compared with TiAlN reported performances, denoting that Si addition does not improve the wear performance of the TiAlN coatings in these wear test conditions.