The southern regional conference on technology assessment: Summary

The proceedings of a conference on technology assessment are presented. A survey of recent Federal activity in technology assessment was discussed initially. Emphasis was placed on state and local activities with respect to technology assessment to include the following subjects: (1) the technology assessment desired by states, (2) organization of technology assessment activities, (3) how to perform technology assessments for less than $5,000, and (4) the preparation of environmental impact statements. Specific application of technology assessment to solid waste management in Connecticut is reported

PICES Press, Vol. 19, No. 1, Winter 2011

•2010 PICES Science: A Note from the Former Science Board Chairman (pp. 1-4) •2010 PICES Awards (pp. 5-7) •The First Year of FUTURE: A Progress Report (pp. 8-13) •New Chairmen in PICES (pp. 14-19) •Pacific Ocean Interior Carbon Data Synthesis, PACIFICA, in Progress (pp. 20-23) •2011 PICES Calendar (p. 23) •Ecosystems 2010: Global Progress on Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management (pp. 24-26) •PICES 2010 Rapid Assessment Survey (pp. 27-29) •PICES Workshop on “An Introduction to Rapid Assessment Survey Methodologies for Application in Developing Countries” (pp. 30-31) •The State of the Western North Pacific in the First Half of 2010 (pp. 32-34) •PICES Interns (p. 34) •The State of the Bering Sea in 2010 (pp. 35-37) •The State of the Northeast Pacific in 2010 (pp. 38-40

Introduction: The effectiveness of impact assessment instruments

The global application of impact assessment instruments to achieve a variety of policy integration goals (e.g. the mainstreaming of environmental, gender or economic efficiency concerns) continues to proliferate. These instruments represent important components of contemporary political governance and hence are an important locus for applied research. This special issue of Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal critically examines 'state-of-the-art' knowledge and understanding of the effectiveness of impact assessment instruments. Six articles explore this subject from a variety of orientations (in terms of theoretical versus empirical emphasis, policy integration concerns, contributors' beliefs and framing etc.). Individually and cumulatively, these articles make a powerful contribution to learning about the 'thorny' issue of effectiveness and its implications for the theory and practice of impact assessment

Derivation of practical reliability-based post-fire assessment tools for structural elements

A practical reliability-based post-fire assessment method has been presented in earlier work which evaluates the maximum allowable characteristic value of the imposed load effect on concrete elements after being subjected to fire. The method is known as the ReAssess method and can be extended to cover the post-fire assessment of other material types, structural members and limit states. This extension however requires knowledge of the methodology underlying the derivation of the basic equations. In this paper a detailed overview of this methodology is presented for the first time, incorporating all the steps from the definition of the limit state problem up to the verification of the reliability obtained when applying the method. The presented methodology allows for the development of practical reliability-based post-fire assessment tools to a broad range of structural members. An example derivation is given illustrating the application of the presented concepts to the post-fire bending limit state for a simply supported concrete slab

Flux switching alternators for small wind generation

This paper considers the application of flux switching alternators for small wind generation. First, after a brief presentation of the small wind energy systems, a description and the fundamentals of flux switching machines is given, then the state of art of flux switching generators is presented. Finally a critical assessment is shown, considering the main advantages and drawbacks of this type of machines as alternator for use in small wind generation systems.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Constructing a math applications, curriculum-based assessment: an analysis of the relationship between apllications [sic] problems, computation problems and criterion-referenced assessments

Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is a well established tool for formative assessment. CBM has also been used for prediction of state test scores. However, validity coefficients between math-CBM and state tests have been moderate at best (Skiba, Magnusson, Martson, and Erickson, 1986; Martson, 1989; Putnam, 1989). The purpose of the present investigation was to develop and evaluate a set of math assessments designed to measure the type of application and problem-solving objectives required on state tests. The application type assessments constructed for this study combined characteristics of CBM, accuracy-based curriculum-based assessment (CBA) and criterion-referenced assessment (CRA). Theses assessments were derived from state standards and matched to local district curriculum. The methodology involved obtaining validity coefficients for (a) traditional CBM assessments versus (b) newly developed assessments which incorporated applications/problem-solving with regard to state tests which served as a standard against which (a) and (b) above could be evaluated. The assessments examined included (a) one single skill computation assessment, (b) one multiple skill computation assessment, (c) one maze reading assessment, (d) a newly constructed applications assessment, (e) Woodcock-Johnson III math subtests, (f) Louisiana Education Program for the 21st Century (LEAP), and (g) the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). Additionally, the various assessments were investigated relative to teacher-based indicators including (a) students\u27 final grades, (b) teacher report of year end performance, and (c) teacher preference of math assessments. Participants included 172 first to fifth grade regular education students who were administered the CBM/CBA/CRA assessments one month following the state tests. State testing included use of the LEAP in fourth grade and the ITBS in second, third and fifth grades. Results indicated that the newly developed application assessment exhibited a stronger relationship with the criterion assessments, with students\u27 final grades, and teacher report of year-end performance. In addition, the application type assessments were preferred over the computation assessments by all teachers. Results and limitations are discussed with regard to the construction and use of an application-oriented CBM/CBA/CRA for users needing assessment which might combine the power of formative evaluation with the ability to accurately predict performance on state tests

Program on State Agency Remote Sensing Data Management (SARSDM)

A planning study for developing a Missouri natural resources information system (NRIS) that combines satellite-derived data and other information to assist in carrying out key state tasks was conducted. Four focal applications -- dam safety, ground water supply monitoring, municipal water supply monitoring, and Missouri River basin modeling were identified. Major contributions of the study are: (1) a systematic choice and analysis of a high priority application (water resources) for a Missouri, LANDSAT-based information system; (2) a system design and implementation plan, based on Missouri, but useful for many other states; (3) an analysis of system costs, component and personnel requirements, and scheduling; and (4) an assessment of deterrents to successful technological innovation of this type in state government, and a system management plan, based on this assessment, for overcoming these obstacles in Missouri

Locally-Stable Macromodels of Integrated Digital Devices for Multimedia Applications

This paper addresses the development of accurate and efficient behavioral models of digital integrated circuits for the assessment of high-speed systems. Device models are based on suitable parametric expressions estimated from port transient responses and are effective at system level, where the quality of functional signals and the impact of supply noise need to be simulated. A potential limitation of some state-of-the-art modeling techniques resides in hidden instabilities manifesting themselves in the use of models, without being evident in the building phase of the same models. This contribution compares three recently-proposed model structures, and selects the local-linear state-space modeling technique as an optimal candidate for the signal integrity assessment of data links. In fact, this technique combines a simple verification of the local stability of models with a limited model size and an easy implementation in commercial simulation tools. An application of the proposed methodology to a real problem involving commercial devices and a data-link of a wireless device demonstrates the validity of this approac

Pengaruh Self Dan Peer Assessment Pada Materi Ekosistem Terhadap Berpikir Aplikatif Dan Kritis Siswa SMA

This study aims to know the effect of self and peer assessment application in group discussion method on ecosystem material on: (1) the applicative thinking and (2) the critical thinking of the students of State Senior High School 2 in Magelang. This research was a quasi experiment using the pretest-posttest with non-equivalent group design. The population comprised class X science students of X State Senior High School 2 in Magelang. A sample was established using the cluster random sampling technique. The two classes were assigned as an experimental group and control group. The students of the experimental group were taught using the self and peer assessment application, and the students in the control group were taught using the teacher assessment. The data were collected through a test, self and peer assessment, interview, and observation technique. The data were analyzed by ANCOVA. The results of the study show that (1) self and peer assessment application in group discussion about ecosystem materials does not significantly affect the students\u27 applicative thinking and (2) self and peer assessment application in group discussion about ecosystem materials significantly affects the students\u27 critical thinking