Building Up : Block Play After September 11

Like most people in New York City, the children in Edstrom\u27s class were affected by the events of September 11. However, not until five weeks later did these particular five- and six year-olds begin to make sense of what happened. Through the use of block play, they were able to explore the difficult emotions and questions we all had about the World Trade Center attac

Embracing Visual Experience and Data Knowledge: Efficient Embedded Memory Design for Big Videos and Deep Learning

Energy efficient memory designs are becoming increasingly important, especially for applications related to mobile video technology and machine learning. The growing popularity of smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices has created an exponential demand for video applications in today?s society. When mobile devices display video, the embedded video memory within the device consumes a large amount of the total system power. This issue has created the need to introduce power-quality tradeoff techniques for enabling good quality video output, while simultaneously enabling power consumption reduction. Similarly, power efficiency issues have arisen within the area of machine learning, especially with applications requiring large and fast computation, such as neural networks. Using the accumulated data knowledge from various machine learning applications, there is now the potential to create more intelligent memory with the capability for optimized trade-off between energy efficiency, area overhead, and classification accuracy on the learning systems. In this dissertation, a review of recently completed works involving video and machine learning memories will be covered. Based on the collected results from a variety of different methods, including: subjective trials, discovered data-mining patterns, software simulations, and hardware power and performance tests, the presented memories provide novel ways to significantly enhance power efficiency for future memory devices. An overview of related works, especially the relevant state-of-the-art research, will be referenced for comparison in order to produce memory design methodologies that exhibit optimal quality, low implementation overhead, and maximum power efficiency.National Science FoundationND EPSCoRCenter for Computationally Assisted Science and Technology (CCAST

Making Suggestions while Collaborating in L1 English: Common Structures and Strategies

The present study examines English suggestions that surfaced naturally during a collaborative writing task in a Spanish class. Students’ limited L2 (second language) oral skills made it necessary for them to speak in their L1 (first language), English, while creating a written product in Spanish. Given the interactive nature of the assignment, making suggestions was a collaborative gesture; to remain silent was to be off-task, uncooperative, or uncommitted to the group’s success. This article explores the syntactic structures, pragmatic strategies, and redressive actions used by native speakers of American English when making suggestions. The data indicate that participants made frequent use of modals and did not use the more formulaic strategies included in some lists and taxonomies (Koike 1994; Martínez-Flor 2005

PCB congener analysis with Hall electrolytic conductivity detection

This work reports the development of an analytical methodology for the analysis of PCB congeners based on integrating relative retention data provided by other researchers. The retention data were transposed into a multiple retention marker system which provided good precision in the calculation of relative retention indices for PCB congener analysis. Analytical run times for the developed methodology were approximately one hour using a commercially available GC capillary column. A Tracor Model 700A Hall Electrolytic Conductivity Detector (HECD) was employed in the GC detection of Aroclor standards and environmental samples. Responses by the HECD provided good sensitivity and were reasonably predictable. Ten response factors were calculated based on the molar chlorine content of each homolog group. Homolog distributions were determined for Aroclors 1016, 1221, 1232, 1242, 1248, 1254, 1260, 1262 along with binary and ternary mixtures of the same. These distributions were compared with distributions reported by other researchers using electron capture detection as well as chemical ionization mass spectrometric methodologies. Homolog distributions acquired by the HECD methodology showed good correlation with the previously mentioned methodologies. The developed analytical methodology was used in the analysis of bluefish (Pomatomas saltatrix) and weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) collected from the York River, lower James River and lower Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. Total PCB concentrations were calculated and homolog distributions were constructed from the acquired data. Increases in total PCB concentrations were found in the analyzed fish samples during the fall of 1985 collected from the lower James River and lower Chesapeake Bay. Comparisons between the homolog distribution patterns in the fish samples with the previously mentioned Aroclor distribution patterns suggests a different source of PCBs for different areas. Sediments, oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and brackish water clams (Rangia cuneata) collected from the tidal James River in 1986 were also analyzed. Total PCB concentrations and homolog distributions were calculated for all samples. Sediment total PCB concentrations were relatively constant over the sampling range except in the region of the turbidity maximum which were significantly higher. Total PCB concentrations in the Rangia from the region of the turbidity maximum were the highest of all the biota samples. Rangia homolog distribution patterns from this area were distinctly different from the sediment distribution patterns or the other Rangia distribution patterns in this segment of the river. Alteration of the endemic distribution pattern may be due to physical-chemical processes occurring within the turbidity maximum

A Proposal for Renewable Resource Management in Long Island Sound

In the United States, prior to Public Law 94-265, the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, regulation of the harvest of oceanic fishery stocks was complicated by the principles of common property resource laws founded by Grotius\u27 dissertation on freedom of the seas. Public Law 94-265 vests ownership in the right to manage stock of fish within 200 miles of the United States\u27 coast to the United States as trustee of that fishery resource. Within the framework of extended jurisdiction of fishery management, individual states in the republic keep and maintain control of fishery resources. within their respective territories

Increasing Joy and Motivation Through Experiential Art Curriculum

This Capstone is a collection of visual art lessons for elementary students aged kindergarten through 5th grade. These lessons explore the question, In what ways can experiential learning methods increase joy and motivation in art education? This curriculum provides students the opportunity to explore the human experience through art with joy. By utilizing experiential techniques, these lessons focus on increasing motivation and joy in students. The curriculum is supported by research which draws on theories in art education, motivation, and experiential learning, along with brain­based research on the correlation between happiness and success. Additional ideas explored include the connections between happiness and alertness, curiosity, motivation, and creativity. In order to increase student well­being and joy, these lessons focus on techniques which foster happiness such as positive environments, meaningful work, social experiences, and constructive play. By placing joy as a goal in learning, this Capstone seeks to establish a lifelong love of the arts