A case study exploring developments in non-traditional potential undergraduates’ understandings of chemical language.

This study investigates learning outcomes achieved by Foundation programme (Year 0) students preparing over one academic year to progress to a three year Bachelor’s degree in biological science, chemistry, computer science, earth sciences, medicine, pharmacy or physics. The thesis reports the development of a range of teaching activities focussing on students’ chemical language. Knowledge of chemical language is vital to developing student understanding but is an under-researched area. The teaching activities comprise a range of language focused strategies. A unique corpus of student work (Foundation Corpus or FOCUS) from Year 0 to PhD level is developed that is used in a range of corpus linguistics based teaching activities. Other activities include word games, mini-whiteboards, modelling and directed activities related to text. Quantitative data were collected from eighty six students over two years by the development of a unique chemical language diagnostic test (CLDT). The test assesses understanding of a range of chemical language: scientific affixes, fundamental words (such as atom or molecule), acid and bases, kinetic theory, non-technical words, symbolic language and technical words. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from six students over four years by semi-structured interviews. The data consists of explanations of chemical scenarios and is analysed for students’ usage of chemical language. Twenty students undertake an eye tracker task that provides quantitative data on students’ eye movements when reading text. Outcomes indicate strong correlations between initial CLDT score and chemistry examination score at the end of Year 0. This suggests that students scoring poorly on chemical language face more challenges to reach the required grade to pass Year 0 than those with better linguistic skills. Evidence is provided for the existence of “chemical interlanguage” and discusses linguistic demand in multiple dimensions. The study reinforces the need to engage positively with chemical language acquisition, offering strategies for developing this and methods for its assessment

Designing and developing a prototype indigenous knowledge database and devising a knowledge management framework

Thesis (M. Tech.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2009The purpose of the study was to design and develop a prototype Indigenous Knowledge (IK) database that will be productive within a Knowledge Management (KM) framework specifically focused on IK. The need to develop a prototype IK database that can help standardise the work being done in the field of IK within South Africa has been established in the Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) policy, which stated that “common standards would enable the integration of widely scattered and distributed references on IKS in a retrievable form. This would act as a bridge between indigenous and other knowledge systems” (IKS policy, 2004:33). In particular within the indigenous people’s organizations, holders of IK, whether individually or collectively, have a claim that their knowledge should not be exploited for elitist purposes without direct benefit to their empowerment and the improvement of their livelihoods. Establishing guidelines and a modus operandi (KM framework) are important, especially when working with communities. Researchers go into communities to gather their knowledge and never return to the communities with their results. The communities feel enraged and wronged. Creating an IK network can curb such behaviour or at least inform researchers/organisations that this behaviour is damaging. The importance of IK is that IK provides the basis for problem-solving strategies for local communities, especially the poor, which can help reduce poverty. IK is a key element of the “social capital” of the poor; their main asset to invest in the struggle for survival, to produce food, to provide shelter, or to achieve control of their own lives. It is closely intertwined with their livelihoods. Many aspects of KM and IK were discussed and a feasibility study for a KM framework was conducted to determine if any existing KM frameworks can work in an organisation that works with IK. Other factors that can influence IK are: guidelines for implementing a KM framework, information management, quality management, human factors/capital movement, leading role players in the field of IK, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), ethics, guidelines for doing fieldwork, and a best plan for implementation. At this point, the focus changes from KM and IK to the prototype IK database and the technical design thereof. The focus is shifted to a more hands-on development by looking at the different data models and their underlying models. A well-designed database facilitates data management and becomes a valuable generator of information. A poorly designed database is likely to become a breeding ground for redundant data. The conceptual design stage used data modelling to create an abstract database structure that represents real-world objects in the most authentic way possible. The tools used to design the database are platform independent software; therefore the design can be implemented on many different platforms. An elementary prototype graphical user interface was designed in order to illustrate the database’s three main functions: adding new members, adding new IK records, and searching the IK database. The IK database design took cognisance of what is currently prevailing in South Africa and the rest of the world with respect to IK and database development. The development of the database was done in such a way as to establish a standard database design for IK systems in South Africa. The goal was to design and develop a database that can be disseminated to researchers/organisations working in the field of IK so that the use of a template database can assist work in the field. Consequently the work in the field will be collected in the same way and based on the same model. At a later stage, the databases could be interlinked and South Africa can have one large knowledge repository for IK

Application of IPAD to missile design

The application of an integrated program for aerospace-vehicle design (IPAD) to the design of a tactical missile is examined. The feasibility of modifying a proposed IPAD system for aircraft design work for use in missile design is evaluated. The tasks, cost, and schedule for the modification are presented. The basic engineering design process is described, explaining how missile design is achieved through iteration of six logical problem solving functions throughout the system studies, preliminary design, and detailed design phases of a new product. Existing computer codes used in various engineering disciplines are evaluated for their applicability to IPAD in missile design

A Syntactical Reverse Engineering Approach to Fourth Generation Programming Languages Using Formal Methods

Fourth-generation programming languages (4GLs) feature rapid development with minimum configuration required by developers. However, 4GLs can suffer from limitations such as high maintenance cost and legacy software practices. Reverse engineering an existing large legacy 4GL system into a currently maintainable programming language can be a cheaper and more effective solution than rewriting from scratch. Tools do not exist so far, for reverse engineering proprietary XML-like and model-driven 4GLs where the full language specification is not in the public domain. This research has developed a novel method of reverse engineering some of the syntax of such 4GLs (with Uniface as an exemplar) derived from a particular system, with a view to providing a reliable method to translate/transpile that system's code and data structures into a modern object-oriented language (such as C\#). The method was also applied, although only to a limited extent, to some other 4GLs, Informix and Apex, to show that it was in principle more broadly applicable. A novel testing method that the syntax had been successfully translated was provided using 'abstract syntax trees'. The novel method took manually crafted grammar rules, together with Encapsulated Document Object Model based data from the source language and then used parsers to produce syntactically valid and equivalent code in the target/output language. This proof of concept research has provided a methodology plus sample code to automate part of the process. The methodology comprised a set of manual or semi-automated steps. Further automation is left for future research. In principle, the author's method could be extended to allow the reverse engineering recovery of the syntax of systems developed in other proprietary 4GLs. This would reduce time and cost for the ongoing maintenance of such systems by enabling their software engineers to work using modern object-oriented languages, methodologies, tools and techniques

A Methodology for The Determination and Communication of Requirements for an Information Processing System

A Requirements Statement Methodology is developed and coupled with a solution to the database design problem. The need for the Requirements Statement Methodology is discussed with the viewpoint of management texts and systems design guidelines. The methodology is developed using forms, computer generated forms, a data dictionary and interactive dialogue. A detailed explanation of PSL (the Problem Statement Language) and PSA (Problem Statement Analyzer) in the context of the Requirements Statement Methodology is presented. A formal discussion of data base design, specifically record and set design, appears. A theoretical model to solve record design is developed and a hueristic and an algorithmic approach to record design are implemented, tested and discussed

Studies related to the process of program development

The submitted work consists of a collection of publications arising from research carried out at Rhodes University (1970-1980) and at Heriot-Watt University (1980-1992). The theme of this research is the process of program development, i.e. the process of creating a computer program to solve some particular problem. The papers presented cover a number of different topics which relate to this process, viz. (a) Programming methodology programming. (b) Properties of programming languages. aspects of structured. (c) Formal specification of programming languages. (d) Compiler techniques. (e) Declarative programming languages. (f) Program development aids. (g) Automatic program generation. (h) Databases. (i) Algorithms and applications

The ciao system

Abstract is not available

The ciao system

Abstract is not available