The effects of the use of a conversational model and opportunities for reflections in computer-based role playing

This study examined the effects of an instructional program on 21-year-old students' interpersonal skills development (N = 104). The HyperCard 2.1 program ¿Telling bad news¿ could contain a conversational model that informed students about the main moments and actions in conducting a bad-news conversation. In addition, the program could vary the students' opportunities for reflection by slowing down the dialog. It was expected that the conversational-model-present groups and the high reflection groups would show more effective interpersonal skill acquisition, knowledge acquisition, and a more complete understanding of the skill (better tests results) than the conversational-model-absent groups and the low reflection groups. Both elements were found to affect the students' interpersonal skill development. The presence of a conversational model significantly improved the students' role-play, F(1, 94) = 8.79, p < .01, and their performance on the knowledge test, F(1, 94) = 115.28, p < .001. When also given opportunities for reflection, the students' performance in a roleplay and on the knowledge test improved even more, F(4, 91) = 2.69, p < .05. The instruction program with the presence of a conversational model in combination with opportunities for reflection is, therefore, considered as having the potential to assist in realizing effective gradual lead into interpersonal skills learning and instruction for novices

Non-perturbative determination of anisotropy coefficients in lattice gauge theories

We propose a new non-perturbative method to compute derivatives of gauge coupling constants with respect to anisotropic lattice spacings (anisotropy coefficients), which are required in an evaluation of thermodynamic quantities from numerical simulations on the lattice. Our method is based on a precise measurement of the finite temperature deconfining transition curve in the lattice coupling parameter space extended to anisotropic lattices by applying the spectral density method. We test the method for the cases of SU(2) and SU(3) gauge theories at the deconfining transition point on lattices with the lattice size in the time direction $N_t=4$ -- 6. In both cases, there is a clear discrepancy between our results and perturbative values. A longstanding problem, when one uses the perturbative anisotropy coefficients, is a non-vanishing pressure gap at the deconfining transition point in the SU(3) gauge theory. Using our non-perturbative anisotropy coefficients, we find that this problem is completely resolved: we obtain $\Delta p/T^4 = 0.001(15)$ and $-0.003(17)$ on $N_t=4$ and 6 lattices, respectively.Comment: 24pages,7figures,5table

Critical behaviour and scaling functions of the three-dimensional O(6) model

We numerically investigate the three-dimensional O(6) model on 12^3 to 120^3 lattices within the critical region at zero magnetic field, as well as at finite magnetic field on the critical isotherm and for several fixed couplings in the broken and the symmetric phase. We obtain from the Binder cumulant at vanishing magnetic field the critical coupling J_c=1.42865(3). The universal value of the Binder cumulant at this point is g_r(J_c)=-1.94456(10). At the critical coupling, the critical exponents \gamma=1.604(6), \beta=0.425(2) and \nu=0.818(5) are determined from a finite-size-scaling analysis. Furthermore, we verify predicted effects induced by massless Goldstone modes in the broken phase. The results are well described by the perturbative form of the model's equation of state. Our O(6)-result is compared to the corresponding Ising, O(2) and O(4) scaling functions. Finally, we study the finite-size-scaling behaviour of the magnetisation on the pseudocritical line.Comment: 13 pages, 20 figures, REVTEX, fixed an error in the determination of R_\chi and changed the corresponding line in figure 13

Formation of Quantum Shock Waves by Merging and Splitting Bose-Einstein Condensates

The processes of merging and splitting dilute-gas Bose-Einstein condensates are studied in the nonadiabatic, high-density regime. Rich dynamics are found. Depending on the experimental parameters, uniform soliton trains containing more than ten solitons or the formation of a high-density bulge as well as quantum (or dispersive) shock waves are observed experimentally within merged BECs. Our numerical simulations indicate the formation of many vortex rings. In the case of splitting a BEC, the transition from sound-wave formation to dispersive shock-wave formation is studied by use of increasingly stronger splitting barriers. These experiments realize prototypical dispersive shock situations.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Tennessee Population and Housing, part 2: age, sex, and migration, 1950-70

The 1960\u27s were frequently cited as containing perhaps the most rapid and pervasive demographic and social change our country has witnessed. Unfortunately, there have been few opportunities to monitor these events. The 1970 Censuses of Population and Housing has provided our first chance to do so in any detail, both from printed and taped data. For the user, however, the Census carries with it certain difficulties in terms of convenience of access and the volume of material available. This publication, Part 2 of a three-part series, attempts to improve availability while at the same time providing derivative population analyses not directly obtainable from Census sources. It represents a joining of interests on the part of the Tennessee State Planning Commission and the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER). The three-part series of reports, each part with its own special emphasis, is not a voluminous collection and reformation of 1970 Census data. It is more a summary presentation of basic and derived data emphasizing changes in selected population and housing data over three census points. Part 2 presents population and percentages by age and sex, a population pyramid, and preliminary migration estimates by age and sex for 1960-1970 by county. Part 1, released in April 1971, contained (1) two summary tables containing general ranking and change data for the State and counties and (2) a third table for each county showing selected population and housing data. Part 3 will focus upon education, income and employment. Since 1970 data entries are from the 1970 Censuses of Population and Housing, the timing of release for the three volumes corresponds with availability of the first, second and fourth count computer tape files, respectively

Lithographic band gap tuning in photonic band gap crystals

We describe the lithographic control over the spectral response of three-dimensional photonic crystals. By precise microfabrication of the geometry using a reproducible and reliable procedure consisting of electron beam lithography followed by dry etching, we have shifted the conduction band of crystals within the near-infrared. Such microfabrication has enabled us to reproducibly define photonic crystals with lattice parameters ranging from 650 to 730 nm. In GaAs semiconductor wafers, these can serve as high-reflectivity (> 95%) mirrors. Here, we show the procedure used to generate these photonic crystals and describe the geometry dependence of their spectral response