An Error Analysis of Students’ Misconceptions and Skill Deficits in Pre-Calculus Subjects

The study determined the students’ misconceptions and skill deficits in Pre-Calculus subjects utilizing error analysis. It determined the students’ misconceptions, skill deficits, and their reasons, and propose reinforcement activities addressing the problem in Pre-Calculus subjects. The quantitative and qualitative approaches were conducted to come up with a high reliability score result. The respondents were the 50 second-year Engineering students of Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology who have difficulty in pre-requisite subjects of Calculus. Based on the findings, students had misconceptions about the basic concepts and laws in Algebra necessary for performing fundamental algebraic operations. They also lacked skills in performing algebraic operations. Students also had misconceptions about Trigonometry, particularly on trigonometric functions and their inverses which were pre-requisite concepts and skills in higher mathematics subjects. Moreover, students had misconceptions about Analytic Geometry, particularly in the slope of a line, equations of a line, and graphing functions and conics. The reasons for their misconceptions and skill deficits were due to their lack of knowledge retention, teachers’ methodology, teachers’ lack of knowledge, and lots of school activities

A Validation Study of a Seismically Induced Ground Strain Model Using Strong Motion Array Data

This study concerns ground strains that result from spatially variable ground motions unrelated to ground failure. Prior empirical work shows a dependence of peak ground strain (PGS) on peak ground displacement (PGD) but is applicable only for weak motions (PGD \u3c 10 cm). Prior semi-empirical work, in which strains were evaluated from simulated ground motions that preserve the coherency, Fourier amplitude variability and wave passage observed in array recordings, found a similar dependence of PGS on PGD but also a significant dependence on separation distance of observation points. Here we describe a procedure to calculate PGS between pairs of stations in an array to test the separation dependence of PGS. The Lotung LSST array was selected due to its closely spaced stations (6 to 85 m) and large number of recordings. The PGS estimated from station pairs from 11 events illustrate that the distance dependence of PGS is statistically significant, with PGS increasing as separation distance decreases

First positron annihilation lifetime measurement of Pu

We have made the first measurement of defects in an aged sample of {delta} phase, Ga stabilized Pu, using positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. This measurement validates the procedure necessary to perform measurements on this highly toxic material and obtain data representative of sample conditions. Comparison of the positron annihilation lifetime analysis of the data with calculated values suggests that He filled vacancies or vacancy clusters dominate the defect population. Such defects are the necessary precursor to void growth and swelling. The evolution of defects resulting from the radioactive decay of Pu during its life in the stockpile is one of the unknown quantities affecting our confidence in predictions of the limit on stockpile components. Radiation damage leads to changes in the size and strength of metals studied for reactor and accelerator use and similar effects may be expected in Pu. The evolution of radiation produced vacancies into larger void structures and accompanying macroscopic swelling may occur in Pu at some age. A detailed understanding of the defects in self irradiated Pu is required to predict the time scale of void swelling and related radiation effects. 1 fig

Derivation of consistent hard rock (1000<Vs<3000 m/s) GMPEs from surface and down-hole recordings: Analysis of KiK-net data

A key component in seismic hazard assessment is the estimation of ground motion for hard rock sites, either for applications to installations built on this site category, or as an input motion for site response computation. Empirical ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) are the traditional basis for estimating ground motion while VS30 is the basis to account for site conditions. As current GMPEs are poorly constrained for VS30 larger than 1000 m/s, the presently used approach for estimating hazard on hard rock sites consists of “host-to-target” adjustment techniques based on VS30 and κ0 values. The present study investigates alternative methods on the basis of a KiK-net dataset corresponding to stiff and rocky sites with 500 < VS30 < 1350 m/s. The existence of sensor pairs (one at the surface and one in depth) and the availability of P- and S-wave velocity profiles allow deriving two “virtual” datasets associated to outcropping hard rock sites with VS in the range [1000, 3000] m/s with two independent corrections: 1/down-hole recordings modified from within motion to outcropping motion with a depth correction factor, 2/surface recordings deconvolved from their specific site response derived through 1D simulation. GMPEs with simple functional forms are then developed, including a VS30 site term. They lead to consistent and robust hard-rock motion estimates, which prove to be significantly lower than host-to-target adjustment predictions. The difference can reach a factor up to 3–4 beyond 5 Hz for very hard-rock, but decreases for decreasing frequency until vanishing below 2 Hz

“El Sexo no es Malo”: Maternal Values Accompanying Contraceptive Use Advice to Young Latina Adolescent Daughters

In this study, we utilized observational methods to identify maternal values and concerns accompanying contraceptive use advice in Latina mother–daughter sexuality conversations. The sample included non-sexually active early adolescents around 12 years of age and their mostly Spanish-speaking Latina mothers. Videotaped conversations were coded for the prevalence of messages related to four sexual values (abstinence, delay sex until older, sex is “normal”, sex is “improper”) and concerns about pregnancy and STD transmission. We examined whether the duration of time spent conversing about these messages was associated with participant characteristics, general communication openness, and the amount of time the dyads spent discussing contraceptive use. Results indicated that Latina mothers who had fewer years of education and lower family income talked longer to their daughters about the need to delay sex, avoid risky situations that would increase their chances of getting pregnant or acquiring an STD, and engage in self-protective practices. Less perceived openness in general communication as reported by both the mothers and the daughters was associated with increased time discussing that sex is improper. Although the duration of contraceptive use messages was brief, mothers and daughters who discussed the fact that sex is normal, and who communicated more about the importance of delaying sex, talked longer about contraceptive use practices compared to mothers and daughters who engaged in minimal discussion of these sexual values

Capturing geographically-varying uncertainty in earthquake ground motion models or what we think we know may change

Our knowledge of earthquake ground motions of engineering significance varies geographically. The prediction of earthquake shaking in parts of the globe with high seismicity and a long history of observations from dense strong-motion networks, such as coastal California, much of Japan and central Italy, should be associated with lower uncertainty than ground-motion models for use in much of the rest of the world, where moderate and large earthquakes occur infrequently and monitoring networks are sparse or only recently installed. This variation in uncertainty, however, is not often captured in the models currently used for seismic hazard assessments, particularly for national or continental-scale studies. In this theme lecture, firstly I review recent proposals for developing ground-motion logic trees and then I develop and test a new approach for application in Europe. The proposed procedure is based on the backbone approach with scale factors that are derived to account for potential differences between regions. Weights are proposed for each of the logic-tree branches to model large epistemic uncertainty in the absence of local data. When local data are available these weights are updated so that the epistemic uncertainty captured by the logic tree reduces. I argue that this approach is more defensible than a logic tree populated by previously published ground-motion models. It should lead to more stable and robust seismic hazard assessments that capture our doubt over future earthquake shaking

Care ethics and Florence Nightingales care practices: A historical-materialist and praxis-driven analysis

This study is a retrieval of resources for Care Ethics reflection. It gathers, assembles, and critically examines Florence Nightingales character development, social involvements and her brand of care ethics embedded in her care praxis and writings as these breached the obvious limitations of the brand of care ethics formulated by present-day feminists. By her emancipatory/feminine-voice perspective, historical-materialist praxis, and social health reforms, she was able to concretize care one that is founded on her faith in a God who regenerates. This work is an analysis of the previously unexplored facets of care ethics and Florence Nightingales care practices and writings. It deploys Reinhart Kosellecks framework in evaluating Nightingales emancipatory perspective, sense-felt practices and far-reaching reforms. The use of Kosellecks conceptual history, which has been employed as a method, assists this research in data gathering, organizing themes, and analyzing complex and dense materials. His concepts of space of experience and horizon of expectation serve the purpose of retrieval and thus, have kept a cohesive view of Nightingales formation and social involvement. This historical analysis mainly functions as an aid 1) to probe into the socio-cultural mores of Nightingales time and thus 2) pave the way towards an accounting of the constant substantive themes specific to a process of ethical reflection: character formation, ethical action (praxis), effects/consequences of character development/behavioral change to relationships, and the determination of the moral good. This initial process of analysis in aid of ethical reflection will further serve to examine Nightingales brand of theological ethics. Thus, making this study akin to the critical reflection of historical praxis common to liberationist ethical reflections of liberation theology. This study does, in fact, show that Care Ethics formulation is more infused with form and substance if it will be an ethics that is built on conditions of possibilities for character formation, action, and social transformation factors rich in Nightingales case. The historical account prepares for the retrieval of ethical principles explicitly and implicitly present both in historical, personal/practical, and documentary evidences studied in this present study which claims that formulations of ethics of care should not only explain oppressive situations but also deal with it through praxis. The hermeneutical analysis (using Biblical scenarios of Jesus healing ministry, the concept of orthopodeo in Galatians, the faith-works in James, and the parable of the Good Samaritan verifies the theological quality of her caring works and reforms. The face of God in Jesus Caring is an attempt to offer the challenge of following a caring Jesus and fulfil the mandate of loving God and neighbor. The foregoing analyses yield the identification of norms relevant to the present time and context. Moreover, her practices of care can be transposed to settings and systems where Nightingales horizons of expectations find application

A study of the socio-economic profile of the intermediate and high school students of Blessed Elena Academy, Pasay City

This study determines the socio-economic profile of the students in relation to the development plan of the school. The descriptive and normative survey methods were used to determine the socio-economic conditions of 160 grade V, grade VI, and high school students of Blessed Elena Academy for the school year 1975-76. The socio-economic survey questionnaire of the Bureau of Public School was the instrument used. The factors considered in the questionnaire were divided into two categories, namely, the information about the students\u27 social conditions, and the information about the students\u27 family which determined their social economic status. The study showed that most of the students of Blessed Elena Academy belonged to the middle income bracket

Conditional simulation of spatially variable motions on 2D grid

Conditional simulation of spatially variable earthquake ground motion is required to incorporate kinematic interaction effects within response history analysis of structures. We present an approach that takes as input a seed motion and models for Fourier amplitude and phase variability that are functions of frequency and separation distance. The conditional simulation outputs are ground motions modified from the seed on a 2D grid having appropriate non-stationary characteristics while maintaining compatibility with the amplitude and phase variability models. The method applies the Fourier Integral Method to simulate random fields and extends short time Fourier transform analysis and synthesis to account for time and frequency nonstationary characteristics of earthquake time series.Non UBCUnreviewedThis collection contains the proceedings of ICASP12, the 12th International Conference on Applications of Statistics and Probability in Civil Engineering held in Vancouver, Canada on July 12-15, 2015. Abstracts were peer-reviewed and authors of accepted abstracts were invited to submit full papers. Also full papers were peer reviewed. The editor for this collection is Professor Terje Haukaas, Department of Civil Engineering, UBC Vancouver.FacultyOthe

#Walangpasok on Twitter: Natural language processing as a method for analyzing tweets on class suspensions in the Philippines

In this study, we aim to prove that natural language processing (NLP) can be used as a method for analyzing qualitative data like tweets. To validate this, we examine various topics emerging from tweets about class suspensions in the Philippines using #walangpasok (no classes). By utilizing three NLP techniques, we presented various topics. Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), the study identified the following: (1) information dissemination and public announcements from government offices, and (2) sentiments of students. Through Word2Vec, we generated (1) monitoring and dissemination of alerts and warnings, (2) local government accountability, and (3) sentiments of Twitter users. An intrinsic evaluation was conducted for word2vec model using cosine similarity. The word-groups have an average cosine similarity of 0.997811. Lastly, the topics that emerged using K-means are (1) weather advisory, (2) class suspension announcements, (3) role of local government, and (4) users\u27 sentiments and outlook towards a situation. The number of clusters generated by the k-means clustering algorithm was decided based on the silhouette score of 0.0153423865462. It turns out that the study provided the same results using NLP techniques. We also performed open coding to analyze the data manually and to ensure that the obtained results using the techniques are accurate. Thus, the use of NLP as a method of qualitative data analysis can be considered reliable and may be recommended to use in other qualitative research, particularly in the field of social sciences. © 2020 IEEE