Milestones for Teaching the Spreadsheet Program

There are different manners of teaching a spreadsheet program. In any case, it is intended that the teacher settles the objectives of the course and adapts them to the particular audience he/she has to deal with. This paper aims at providing any teacher whatever his/her specific objectives and his/her audience with elements to help him/her building a course. It focuses mainly on two important issues: 1 - select in all that may be said about such complex tools, what is prior to know and to teach, i.e. what leads to autonomy in using but also to autonomy in learning (because everything cannot be taught) and 2 - show how concepts are closely related to good formatting considerations. A method based on the "invariants of information processing" is outlined, partially illustrated and an implementation is described throughout a course designed for students preparing a master in Education Sciences.Comment: 11 Page

Pushing architectural quality further

In this paper, the intentions thriving the implementation of computational modeling of building physics as it is approached in the Architectural engineering courses at Ghent University are discussed. During the bachelor degree, courses focus mainly on integration of basic building physics feasibility in the architectural conceptualization. During the final bachelor year, students program their own simplified 2D models for internal condensation and thermal bridges in a spreadsheet, based on realistic detailing from buildings they studied in other courses. These models are intentionally kept both simplified and strongly mathematically based to nurture thorough comprehension of the physical background of problematic design options. Additionally, evaluation of energy performance with official EPB-software is incorporated in the courses because of its high relevance as a legal benchmark. All these models, including EPB, are (semi)static and thus offer only limited but nevertheless useful information on physical, legal, hygienic… viability of different options at reasonable complexity. Furthermore, they induce basic modeling skills as a basis for further development. During the master’s degree, the focus shifts from taxation of the feasibility of design decisions towards energetic performance as one of the starting points and validation criteria of the design process. For students who wish to specialize in the matter, elective courses and master’s thesis projects on optimization, innovative techniques, passive building standards etc. are offered in which advanced dynamic modeling is used. These models offer an important input for this specific design process as they enable precise, nuanced validation of the robustness and sensitivity for certain parameters of different strategies in a given, very complex, situation. By developing both innovative, more precise models for the master classes besides more powerful integration of modeling with design software (BIM) and robust predesign templates for the bachelor courses with master’s student cooperation, the research team supports these courses in achieving output of the highest possible quality

Towards Evaluating the Quality of a Spreadsheet: The Case of the Analytical Spreadsheet Model

We consider the challenge of creating guidelines to evaluate the quality of a spreadsheet model. We suggest four principles. First, state the domain-the spreadsheets to which the guidelines apply. Second, distinguish between the process by which a spreadsheet is constructed from the resulting spreadsheet artifact. Third, guidelines should be written in terms of the artifact, independent of the process. Fourth, the meaning of "quality" must be defined. We illustrate these principles with an example. We define the domain of "analytical spreadsheet models", which are used in business, finance, engineering, and science. We propose for discussion a framework and terminology for evaluating the quality of analytical spreadsheet models. This framework categorizes and generalizes the findings of previous work on the more narrow domain of financial spreadsheet models. We suggest that the ultimate goal is a set of guidelines for an evaluator, and a checklist for a developer.Comment: Proc. European Spreadsheet Risks Int. Grp. (EuSpRIG) 2011 ISBN 978-0-9566256-9-

WFIRST Coronagraph Technology Requirements: Status Update and Systems Engineering Approach

The coronagraphic instrument (CGI) on the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) will demonstrate technologies and methods for high-contrast direct imaging and spectroscopy of exoplanet systems in reflected light, including polarimetry of circumstellar disks. The WFIRST management and CGI engineering and science investigation teams have developed requirements for the instrument, motivated by the objectives and technology development needs of potential future flagship exoplanet characterization missions such as the NASA Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission (HabEx) and the Large UV/Optical/IR Surveyor (LUVOIR). The requirements have been refined to support recommendations from the WFIRST Independent External Technical/Management/Cost Review (WIETR) that the WFIRST CGI be classified as a technology demonstration instrument instead of a science instrument. This paper provides a description of how the CGI requirements flow from the top of the overall WFIRST mission structure through the Level 2 requirements, where the focus here is on capturing the detailed context and rationales for the CGI Level 2 requirements. The WFIRST requirements flow starts with the top Program Level Requirements Appendix (PLRA), which contains both high-level mission objectives as well as the CGI-specific baseline technical and data requirements (BTR and BDR, respectively)... We also present the process and collaborative tools used in the L2 requirements development and management, including the collection and organization of science inputs, an open-source approach to managing the requirements database, and automating documentation. The tools created for the CGI L2 requirements have the potential to improve the design and planning of other projects, streamlining requirement management and maintenance. [Abstract Abbreviated]Comment: 16 pages, 4 figure

Logistics of Mathematical Modeling-Focused Projects

This article addresses the logistics of implementing projects in an undergraduate mathematics class and is intended both for new instructors and for instructors who have had negative experiences implementing projects in the past. Project implementation is given for both lower and upper division mathematics courses with an emphasis on mathematical modeling and data collection. Projects provide tangible connections to course content which can motivate students to learn at a deeper level. Logistical pitfalls and insights are highlighted as well as descriptions of several key implementation resources. Effective assessment tools, which allowed me to smoothly adjust to student feedback, are demonstrated for a sample class. As I smoothed the transition into each project and guided students through the use of the technology, their negative feedback on projects decreased and more students noted how the projects had enhanced their understanding of the course topics. Best practices learned over the years are given along with project summaries and sample topics. These projects were implemented at a small liberal arts university, but advice is given to extend them to larger classes for broader use.Comment: 27 pages, no figures, 1 tabl

Hazards and incident investigation at palm oil mill industry

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) is a discipline with broad scope involving many specialized fields. This research was conducted to determine the relationship between the hazards occurring and the control measures to overcome the hazards occur in the Palm Oil Mill located at Ulu Keratong, Segamat, Johor. Nowadays, the workers are lack of safety and health practice from their companies based on the statistics that have shown the number of fatality and permanent disablement cases due to the accident in the palm oil mill. Which causes the accidents and injuries happened due to management control that does not emphasized on the safe practise of workers. Information and data collection were carried out by using HIRARC Form and Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA) in the Palm Oil Mill RISDA which will be further discuss in the methodology part. The main objective of this study is to promote adaptable occupational environment and suggest some countermeasures to solve the potential hazard and the consequent responsibilities relevant to professional engineering practice. There were seven hazards have been identified such as crash by rotating machine, struck by heavy palm fruit and slippery floor, excessive heat, excessive pressure of tractor tire, chemical spillage and noise hazard. From the result and findings, the hazards and control measures identified are able to determine improvements in knowledge and risk perceptions among the workers and visitors towards health policies and essential interventions for hazard prevention. Effective job safety and health programs help reduce worker injuries and illness in the long term