I'm Sorry to Hear That

A collection of short stories focusing on honest human interactions through strong attention to language at the sentence level.No embargoAcademic Major: Englis

The Analysis of the Fracturing Mechanism and Brittleness Characteristics of Anisotropic Shale Based on Finite-Discrete Element Method

Shale anisotropy characteristics have great effects on the mechanical behaviour of the rock. Understanding shale anisotropic behaviour is one of the key interests to several geo-engineering fields, including tunnel, nuclear waste disposal and hydraulic fracturing. This research adopted the finite discrete element method (FDEM) to create anisotropic shale models in ABAQUS. The FDEM models were calibrated using the mechanical values obtained from published laboratory tests on Longmaxi shale. The results show that the anisotropic features of shale significantly affect the brittleness and fracturing mechanism at the micro-crack level. The total fracture number in shale under the Uniaxial Compressive Strength (UCS) test is not only related to the brittleness of shale. It is also strongly dependent on the structure of the shale, which is sensitive to shale anisotropy. Two new brittleness indices, BIf and BICD, have been proposed in this paper. The expression for BIf directly incorporates the number of fractures formed inside of the rock, which provides a more accurate frac-ability using this brittleness index. It can be used to calculate the frac-ability of rocks in projects where there are concerns about fractures after excavation. Meanwhile, BICD links brittleness to the CD/UCS ratio in shale for the first time. BICD is easy to obtain in comparison to other brittleness indices because it is based on the Uniaxial Compressive Strength test only. In addition, it has been shown there is a relationship between tensile strength and the crack damage strength in shale. Based on this, an empirical relationship has been proposed to predict the tensile strength based on the Uniaxial Compressive Strength test

Prekindergarten Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding Kindergarten Readiness and Challenges to Readiness Achievement

AbstractThe problem that was the focus of this study is that only half of the students entering kindergarten in the United States are considered kindergarten ready. This problem is important because children who are successful in kindergarten are more likely to continue to be successful in elementary school. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of prekindergarten teachers regarding lack of kindergarten readiness in students who completed a district-approved prekindergarten program and the challenges the teachers believe affected the level of kindergarten readiness. The conceptual framework for this study was based on the need for vertical alignment of classroom and instructional practices. Two research questions addressed prekindergarten teacher perspectives regarding kindergarten readiness and the challenges the teachers believe affect children’s ability to achieve readiness. Data were collected from interviews with 10 prekindergarten teachers and were analyzed using thematic coding. Results indicated that teachers feel responsible for children’s readiness, but they are hindered by administrative distractions, concerns for test validity, and the testing process. Implications include increased collaboration among teachers and administrators to improve testing and achieve greater student readiness. This study could lead to positive social change by being used to inform instructional or policy improvements that increase children’s academic success

Technology for intentional reflection and learning in constructionist cooperatives

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2006.Includes bibliographical references (p. 276-289).At the core of the constructionist learning paradigm is the idea that people learn through design experiences. However, in most settings, learners rarely revisit their work to reflect on design and learning processes. The practice of reflection is not integrated into regular community practice. That omission results in lost opportunities for deeper learning because reflection plays an important role in knowledge integration. In order to leverage the benefits of constructionist learning, learners must go beyond the activities of construction and reflect on their learning. This involves examining and gaining a deeper understanding of the how and why of their design process, including learning strategies. The conceptual framework of this dissertation, Cooperative Constructionism, establishes a design approach to reflection with a set of tools and methods that support reflection on learning. A Constructionist Cooperative is a community of learners where articulating and sharing of learning experiences is a regular practice. A goal of this dissertation is to explore the computational tools and practices that promote and support such activities. Using these tools, learners construct intentional-reflective artifacts, which embody their reflection on their design and learning experiences.(cont.) There were two learning scaffolds developed to promote emergence of a Constructionist Cooperative. The first is a computational scaffold, a software toolkit called Pearls of Wisdom. The software is used to design, edit, and share intentional-reflective artifacts, called Pearls. Pearls are the concrete instantiation of learner reflection on the design and learning process. The second scaffold, called the Reflective Mentor Model, is social in nature. This scaffold promotes a regular practice of intentional reflection within the learning environment by building a mentor community of practice around supporting learner reflection. A range of empirical studies were conducted, which combined theory and practice to identify connections between grounded theory, existing practices, and the proposed framework. Theory-based indicators were the basis of analysis of the study data. The study site was the Flagship Computer Clubhouse, an after-school technology center for 10- to 18-year-olds, where learners work on design projects of their own interest as part of their learning process. The one-year study explored how learner and mentor intentional-reflection practices promoted growth of a Constructionist Cooperative at the Computer Clubhouse. Over the course of the study, 78 Pearls were created and 2,764 Pearl pages were viewed.(cont.) Three treatment groups achieved different levels of reflective practice. All three groups received the Pearls of Wisdom software training. Group 1 mentors conducted regular meetings to reflect on productive strategies for better supporting members in making their Pearls. They became a functioning reflective-mentor team based on the Reflective Mentor Model. Group 1 members produced 74 Pearls (95%) and viewed 2,341 Pearl pages (85%) over the course of the study. Group 2 mentors did not promote Pearl software or practices and held no mentor meetings. Group 2 members produced 0 Pearls (0%) and viewed 58 Pearl pages (2%) over the course of the study. Group 3 mentors promoted Pearls of Wisdom, but did not establish a mentor team. Group 3 members produced 4 Pearls (5%) and viewed 365 Pearl pages (13%). Members engaged in higher-order thinking when constructing their Pearls and during subsequent Pearl-related discussions. According to member and mentor perspectives, making and using Pearls positively influenced their approach to project design and development by engaging them in more complex learning activities. Pearl creators and users negotiated meaningful roles for Pearls within the Computer Clubhouse community.by Robbin Nicole Chapman.Ph.D