AN ANALYSIS OF IF THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT: WORLD HISTORY MODERN READING IS EFFECTIVE TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

This study explored if the AP World History: Modern Reading is effective teacher professional development and if it impacts teachers and students. Desimone’s Core Conceptual Framework served as the foundation for which to evaluate professional development. Adult learning theory served as the theoretical framework. The researcher used a mixed methods explanatory sequential design. A survey was completed by 83 AP World History: Modern high school teachers who had attended the AP World History: Modern on-site Reading. The survey provided data on teacher perceptions of the Reading as well as the perceived impacts on student learning. The researcher then conducted a focus group discussion with eight participants to study teacher perceptions and the impact on student learning in greater depth. Quantitative and qualitative results were integrated in order to gain a deeper understanding. The researcher found that attending the AP World History: Modern on-site Reading is beneficial teacher professional development. The structure of the in-person Reading allows for collaboration, engages participants and is relevant to the attendees’ classroom practice. As a result of attending the Reading, teachers perceive increases in their knowledge and understanding of exam requirements, and they perceive increased levels of confidence in their abilities to instruct students and assess student learning. Teachers perceive that attending the AP World History: Modern Reading improved their students’ scores and contributed to growth in student learning

Wave Propagation Past a Change in Cross-Section

This thesis was undertaken to accomplish the following: 1) To experimentally determine the longitudinal strain distribution in the region of a change in cross-section of a cylindrical bar when a longitudinal wave passes this region. 2) To experimentally determine the longitudinal strain distribution in the incident, reflected and transmitted waves produced by a longitudinal wave in the region of a change in cross-section of a cylindrical bar. 3) To experimentally observe, at a distance of several bar diameters away from the change in cross section, the relation between the magnitudes of an incident longitudinal wave and the reflected and transmitted waves produced by the incident wave

It's My Soul

Reflections onmy Soul

Spectroscopic Behavior of Composite, Black Thermal Paint, Solar Cell, and Multi-layered Insulation Materials in a GEO Simulated Environment

Materials currently populating Earth orbital regimes can be distinguished by comparing remote observational data to that of optical material measurements obtained in the laboratory. Experimentation for this research primarily involved the acquisition of spectroscopic measurements on materials of interest to the telescopic observational community for enhanced space situational awareness. Common spacecraft materials worthy of preeminent analysis for this investigation include a carbon-carbon (c-c) matrix composite, various black thermal paints, a GPS solar cell and three different cover glass components. These materials were subjected to a simulated geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) space environment with the intent of observing material optical property behavior over quantitative exposure time. The aforementioned materials have been measured in their pristine and GEO simulated exposed conditions. A reflectance spectrometer and a bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) optical system have been operated to perform material characterization, optical property analysis, and to further compare such data to telescopic observational data acquired on equal materials