Cubesats in Cislunar Space

Within the next three years, at least 15 deep space cubesat \u27prototypes\u27 will have been launched, testing the viability of cubesat paradigm in deep space. Three of the EM1-deployed cubesat missions, the first de facto deep space cubesat \u27cluster\u27, will be science requirements driven lunar orbiters with remote sensing instruments for lunar surface/subsurface volatile characterization. These include: Lunar Ice Cube (1-4 micron broadband IR spectrometer and microcryocooler, volatile distribution as a function of time of day), Lunar Flashlight, (active source laser and NIR detector, polar surface ice), and LunaH-Map (neutron spectrometer, polar ice to 1 meter)

Perceptions of New Hampshire teachers and supervisors regarding teacher supervision

This study examined the perceptions of New Hampshire teachers and supervisors regarding teacher present and ideal systems for teacher supervision. Teacher supervision was defined as being inclusive of district practices which promote teacher growth and development and those which are used to make evaluative judgments about teachers\u27 performance. The study sample included 73 supervisors and 305 teachers randomly selected from 45 school districts. The sample districts were selected using a stratified random sampling process in which the stratification variables were district wealth as reflected in the district\u27s equalized valuation per pupil and geographic region. Data were collected through the use of two matched surveys, one for supervisors and one for teachers. The surveys contained 37 Likert scale items and 3 open-response questions designed to measure participants perceptions regarding the structural (practices) and cultural (characteristics) and effectiveness of their present teacher supervision system and those of a system they would consider ideal. Data from the survey were segregated first into three sub-divisions--items relating to the structural dimension, items relating to the cultural dimension, and items regarding effectiveness. Within each of the dimensions, data were further sorted by role (supervisor, teacher) and by scale (present, ideal) into four subscales. Effectiveness data were sorted by role into two subscales. Differences between supervisors and teachers on the present and ideal scales of the structural and cultural dimensions were evaluated using a repeated measures ANOVA and t-test. The analysis revealed a significant difference between supervisors and teachers on present scales but not on the ideal scales. A one-way ANOVA was used to examine differences between supervisors and teachers regarding teacher supervision system effectiveness. Supervisors and teachers again differed significantly at the $p\u3c.01$ level on the present scale but not on the ideal scale. These results suggest that New Hampshire supervisors and teachers share a common perception of the practices and characteristic of an ideal teacher supervision system, but differ in their perceptions of their present teacher supervision systems. Supervisors perceived their present systems as being more reflective of the ideal and more effective in achieving its intended purposes. Implications of these findings are discussed

Maximizing Early Childhood Practices by Incorporating Constructivist Principles in an Elementary School

In most public schools, children begin school in kindergarten. Recently, many school systems have begun to implement programs for preschoolers, ages three and four. Georgia introduced the first statewide universal pre-K program in 1995 which offers all 4 year old children free preschool. New York, Oklahoma and Florida have followed (Barnett & Hustedt, 2003). Tennessee recently passed a bill to use $25 million of lottery money to fund preschool for children considered at risk ( Latest Pre-Kindergarten News, n.d.). The substantial amount of research involving brain development has stressed the importance of quality experiences in the early years of life (birth-8 years). Why not house these programs along with childcare in a public school? And, better yet, why not design a program and building for children six weeks through II years of age (traditional grade five age) which is based upon early childhood practices and incorporates constructivist principles? That is exactly what educators in a small, diversified school district in Northeast Tennessee did when the system committed to creating a 21st Century elementary school

Pictures are necessary but not sufficient: Using a range of visual methods to engage users about school design

It has been argued by both educationalists and social researchers that visual methods are particularly appropriate for the investigation of people's experiences of the school environment. The current and expected building work taking place in British schools provides an opportunity for exploration of methods, as well as a need to establish ways to achieve this involvement of a range of school users, including students. This article describes a consultation that was undertaken in a UK secondary school as part of a participatory design process centred on the rebuilding of the school. A range of visual methods, based on photographs and maps, was used to investigate the views of a diverse sample of school users, including students, teachers, technical and support staff and the wider community. Reported here is the experience of using these tools, considering the success of different visually-based methods in engaging a broad cross section of the school community and revealing useful information. Using a range of visual methods allows a complex, but coherent, understanding of the particular school environment to be constructed and developed. It is further argued that such a range of visual and spatial methods is needed to develop appropriate understanding. The study, therefore, contributes to knowledge about specific visual research methods, appreciation of the relationship between tools, and a general methodological understanding of visual methods' utility for developing understanding of the learning environment

From Research to Practice: Increasing Ability of Practitioners to Relate Family-of-Origin Communicative Techniques to Current Marital Satisfaction

Research has shown a connection between family-of-origin communicative techniques and later marital satisfaction. However, little has been done to see how this information can be incorporated in family life education settings. The purpose of this study is to make a connection between research and practice by testing the validity of easy-to-use measurements informing this relationship. The results of a survey from 649 married individuals about the communicative practices within their family-of-origin and in their current marriage support the ability of practitioners to understand techniques utilized in marriage by interpreting those used in childhood. By associating the literature between family-of-origin communication and marital dynamics in a practical way, practitioners and educators will be better able to assess and assist married couples in therapeutic or educational settings

Charge Photoinjection in Intercalated and Covalently Bound [Re(CO)_(3)(dppz)(py)]^(+)–DNA Constructs Monitored by Time-Resolved Visible and Infrared Spectroscopy

The complex [Re(CO)_(3)(dppz)(py′-OR)]+ (dppz = dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine; py′-OR = 4-functionalized pyridine) offers IR sensitivity and can oxidize DNA directly from the excited state, making it a promising probe for the study of DNA-mediated charge transport (CT). The behavior of several covalent and noncovalent Re–DNA constructs was monitored by time-resolved IR (TRIR) and UV/visible spectroscopies, as well as biochemical methods, confirming the long-range oxidation of DNA by the excited complex. Optical excitation of the complex leads to population of MLCT and at least two distinct intraligand states. Experimental observations that are consistent with charge injection from these excited states include similarity between long-time TRIR spectra and the reduced state spectrum observed by spectroelectrochemistry, the appearance of a guanine radical signal in TRIR spectra, and the eventual formation of permanent guanine oxidation products. The majority of reactivity occurs on the ultrafast time scale, although processes dependent on slower conformational motions of DNA, such as the accumulation of oxidative damage at guanine, are also observed. The ability to measure events on such disparate time scales, its superior selectivity in comparison to other spectroscopic techniques, and the ability to simultaneously monitor carbonyl ligand and DNA IR absorption bands make TRIR a valuable tool for the study of CT in DNA

Western Educational Longitudinal Study: Baseline of Freshmen entering Fall, 2003

Baseline report with data from WWU\u27s first WELS survey on first-time, in-coming freshmen. Includes frequencies, figures, WELS goals and objectives, survey administration procedures, data quality, and analysis of qualitative findings from WELS freshmen focus group

Western Alumni, Class of 2003 - Spring 2004 Survey Findings

During Spring Quarter of 2004, a random sample of recent graduates of Western Washington University were mailed a survey asking about their current work and educational pursuits, expectations, and their experiences at Western. The survey replicated items from previous surveys conducted on a biennial basis. This report provides the distribution of their responses on each of the survey items. In all, 527 alumni responded to the survey out of 1340 for a 39% response rate. (Respondents were sent a pre-survey notification letter, followed by the survey, a reminder and a second survey if they’d not yet responded.) Respondents tended to have earned better grades at WWU (3.24 vs. 3.12 for non-responders), be Caucasian (82% versus 72% of non-responders) and be female (66% vs. 50% of non-responders)

Perceptions of Subtle Gender Discrimination, Hostility, and Sexual Harassment among Senior Women Faculty at Western Washington University

A web survey of senior women faculty looking into perceptions of subtle gender discrimination, hostility and sexual harassment

Remote geochemical experiment package for Discovery class missions

Remote sensing x-ray and gamma-ray spectrometers can be used to infer elemental composition on atmosphereless bodies, such as asteroids, the moon, and Mercury. The composition of the planetary body and variations in its surface chemistry are of fundamental importance in understanding the formation and dynamics of that body. Thus, for Discovery class missions, x-ray fluorescence (XRF), gamma-ray spectrometer (GRS), or a combined Geochemical Experiment Package (GEP) have been proposed. These instruments can meet the mission science objectives, while still meeting the weight, power, and cost constraints. These missions include the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous, the Main-belt Asteroid Rendezvous, and others such as HERMES (Mercury Orbiter). This paper presents the results of calculations done to assess the sensitivity of a combined instrument to obtain elemental compositions of planetary bodies with an uncertainty small enough to be scientifically useful