Implementing Risk-Limiting Post-Election Audits in California

Risk-limiting post-election audits limit the chance of certifying an electoral outcome if the outcome is not what a full hand count would show. Building on previous work, we report on pilot risk-limiting audits in four elections during 2008 in three California counties: one during the February 2008 Primary Election in Marin County and three during the November 2008 General Elections in Marin, Santa Cruz and Yolo Counties. We explain what makes an audit risk-limiting and how existing and proposed laws fall short. We discuss the differences among our four pilot audits. We identify challenges to practical, efficient risk-limiting audits and conclude that current approaches are too complex to be used routinely on a large scale. One important logistical bottleneck is the difficulty of exporting data from commercial election management systems in a format amenable to audit calculations. Finally, we propose a bare-bones risk-limiting audit that is less efficient than these pilot audits, but avoids many practical problems

Statistical testing for contaminants in an agricultural product.

Master of ScienceDepartment of StatisticsMichael J HigginsAgricultural wholesale products, including different cereal grains, are regularly tested for contaminants such as salmonella. To test for contaminants, individual samples are regularly drawn from the product and these samples are homogeneously mixed to form a single composite sample. A small amount of this composite sample is then selected and tested for the contaminant. Detailed procedures for testing samples for contamination are outlined and regulated by the FDA among other services. Ideally, failure to detect contamination would yield a statistically rigorous limit on the true amount of contamination present in the product. In this study, we use ideas from risk-limiting auditing and without-replacement sampling to derive a novel test for detecting contamination. We identify a set of conservative, worst-case assumptions that allow us to derive a closed-form probability for failing to detect a contaminant given a pre-specified proportion of contamination present in the product. We then use this probability to develop a risk-limiting statistical test for the null hypothesis that the amount of contamination present is beyond acceptable levels—if no contamination is found, this null is rejected, and our statistical test concludes that the amount of contamination is within a tolerable range. Furthermore, we compute the minimum sample size needed to ensure that, for a pre-specified significance level α, the test rejects the null hypothesis if no contamination is detected. We show that our approach is significantly more powerful than current methods for concluding that an agricultural product is not contaminated. The improvement of our method is especially large for when the amount of agricultural product being tested is small with respect to the size of the individual samples

Voting: What Has Changed, What Hasn't, & Why: Research Bibliography

Since the origins of the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project in the fall of 2000, there has been an explosion of research and analysis on election administration and voting technology. As we worked throughout 2012 on our most recent study, Voting: What Has Changed, What Hasn’t, & What Needs Improvement, we found many more research studies. In this research bibliography, we present the research literature that we have found; future revisions of this research bibliography will update this list.Carnegie Corporation of New Yor

Instructional Transformation: How do Teaching and Learning Change with a One-to-one Laptop Implementation?

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the College of Education at Morehead State University by John C. Branch IV on April 29, 2014

For such a time as this : African leadership challenges

Contents: Acknowledgements -- [Introduction] For such a time as this : African leadership challenges / Charles R. Stith -- Burundi : on the precipice of pandemonium and peace / Pierre Buyoya -- Dilemmas and challenges of service : presidential reflections / Kenneth Kaunda -- Challenges of African leadership in the 21st century / Sir Ketumile Masire -- The challenge of democratization / Benjamin Mkapa -- What leadership means relative to Africa's progress and development / Daniel arap Moi -- Toward Africa's future : the role of African political leaders / António Monteiro -- Efforts in relation to the progress of the state / Bakili Muluzi -- Transforming Tanzania : leadership challenges (1985-1995) / Ali Hassan Mwinyi -- From Bell Village to the State House / Karl Auguste Offmann -- A way out of no way : the Cape Verde story / Aristides Pereira -- The economy is always the ultimate test / Navinchandra Ramgoolam -- Philosophical and practical thoughts on leadership / Jerry Rawlings -- Les défis pour les dirigeants : a post-colonial vision for Francophone Africa / Nicophore Soglo -- About the editor -- About the contributorsU.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) -- AID-OAA-A-10-0000

An intergrated learning programme for the Knysna Montessori school

In line with Montessori methodology, the Knysna Montessori School runs its programmes in an integrated and holistic manner. Learning programmes are based on a blend of various Montessori learning programmes and the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS). Classes are divided into three year-age groupings; and integrated learning programmes are in place within the pre-school, (including grade R), the grade 1 to 3 class, and the grade 4 to 6 class. However, the grade 7 to 9 Montessori class has been running in a more traditional and less integrated manner since its inception in 2004. That has motivated the undertaking of this study. The main aim of this qualitative study has been to determine how to best arrange the RNCS according to Montessori principles, that is to say, in a holistic and integrated manner, with the intention of presenting a learning programme for the grade 7 to 9 class. This aim was based on a constructivist philosophical foundation and addressed in conjunction with interpretivism and critical theory. The grounded theory research paradigm was followed. In this paradigm research findings are grounded in the data gathering and the analysis. Three methods of data collection were applied, namely a literature review, interviews and document analysis. A literature review was conducted to gain a better overview and understanding of the RNCS and Outcomes-Based Education (OBE). Furthermore, through the literature review, an in-depth understanding of the Montessori method of education, adolescent development and integrated and holistic education have been achieved. Interviews were conducted with staff from the Knysna Montessori School, with the purpose of gathering information on the Knysna Montessori School and its current application to the RNCS, from pre-school to grade 6. An availability and purposive sampling method was applied, in order to determine which staff members to interview. Finally, document analysis was done. The learning areas for the senior phase (grades 7 to 9) of the General Education and Training Band (GET) of the RNCS were coded and analysed in order to discover emergent themes within the RNCS and how these link with the Montessori curriculum arrangement for this age group. It became apparent that Montessori classrooms, both prior to and for the senior phase, are divided into three areas, namely language, mathematics and cultural studies. Based on this knowledge, as well as the documentary analysis, an integrated learning programme, grounded in the data analysis, was designed. It was found that the RNCS matches well with Montessori’s curriculum arrangement. Thus, this learning programme is in line with Montessori’s curriculum arrangement for the senior phase of the GET band. Such a curriculum arrangement integrates the learning outcomes and assessment standards from arts and culture, economic and management sciences, life orientation, natural sciences, social sciences and technology into different studies. These are globally referred to as cultural studies. However, specific attention was also given to moral education, self-expression through music, art and drama, entrepreneurship, career education and sport. The conclusion was reached that an integrated learning programme, based on Montessori principles and in line with the RNCS requirement, is possible for the Knysna Montessori School

Decentralised Energy

As the contribution of renewable energy increases to meet climate change objectives, so does the extent to which electricity is generated by individuals and communities, moving a centralised system to a more decentralised one, with associated system management and integration challenges. However, new digital and storage technologies are enabling local system management, and reducing the need for, and cost of, centralised planning. Creating the right regulatory environment is crucial, but it is especially challenging given the pace of technology change. This book describes the deploying renewable energy in selected countries and describes how each stage is affected by the regulatory and industrial environments, as gives examples of how new business models that enable greater penetration of renewables and more localised grid management and consumer engagement are being deployed