Measuring thermal expansion of multiple specimens at high temperature

Furnace capable of heating 10 specimens to a uniform temperature simultaneously, aids in the measuring of the thermal expansion of each specimen. The specimens are measured with a telescope unit consisting of two microtelescopes. Overall accuracy of the system is estimated to be plus or minus 2 percent at 2000 degrees C

Embedded Math Credit: Is there a relationship between NCLB’s HQTC and secondary CTE students’ outcomes?

U.S. business leaders, politicians, educators, and others within the community have been inundated with reports that claim many of today’s high school graduates are ill-prepared, from a functional literacy standpoint, to face the challenges posed by the global marketplace (Achieve, 2004; Brown et al., 2005; Friedman, 2005; and Judy & D’Amico, 1997). In an effort to ensure today’s students are better prepared for a world of work that is driven by technology, U.S. Congress passed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act at the behest of former President Bush in 2001. Consequently, school districts throughout the U.S. have responded to the accountability measures within NCLB by increasing public high school graduation requirements in the core subject areas (i.e., English, math, science, and social studies). To this end, other key areas that make-up the high school experience are scrambling to identify strategies that enhance improvement within the core subjects mentioned above. More specifically, secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in one Midwest State have experimented with state-sanctioned projects in the areas of math and language arts known as embedded credit. Wherein, for the purposes of this study, secondary area vocational and technical schools’ CTE teachers develop teaching methods and strategies, in math, with the cooperation of academic teachers from their sending school districts. In so doing, it is expected that CTE students will be exposed to more math theory while in their CTE courses and additional practical math applications while attending their academic institutions. One version of the embedded math credit approach allows students seeking an additional math credit to request participation in the embedded coursework while attending the CTE institution and testing for the embedded credit at their sending school location under the direction of an accredited math teacher near the end of senior year. Early aspects of research literature revealed that NCLB insisted that core subject areas be delivered only by highly-qualified teachers after the 2005-06 school year (OESE, 2005). To this end, NCLB defines a new highly-qualified teacher as one who possesses a state teacher’s license, a bachelor’s degree, and a related professional credential. With this in mind, there were secondary math and CTE teachers in one Midwest State who participated in the embedded math credit program who did not meet NCLB’s definition of a new highly-qualified teacher. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to establish baseline data, in a scientific manner, that examines the relationship between traditional and non-traditional CTE programs’ teachers’ backgrounds and methods and their students’ mathematical gains as measured by standardized pre- and post-tests. A mixed method / quasi-experimental approach was undertaken to establish criteria for the teachers and students (Kingsbury, 2006). The math and CTE teachers’ survey was developed based on the research literature, pre-tested, piloted-tested, and, eventually, launched, collected, and analyzed utilizing an online survey tool. Over 50 percent of the teachers from the two control groups and or one experimental group participated in the survey. From a descriptive standpoint, the respondents’ backgrounds did not reveal notable differences between the control groups and or experimental group. Additionally, an inferential statistical method found no significant difference between the teachers’ methods utilized by the two control groups and or one experimental group. Students from the two control groups and one experimental group are required to take a standardized math test within the first three months of their junior year and a posttest within the last three months of their senior year. ACT’s WorkKeys Applied Math assessment was utilized as the pre- and post-test instrument. With the permission and cooperation of the participating schools’ administrators, pre- and post-test data were gathered, analyzed, and, finally, reported in an aggregate manner. With respect to students’ test score gains, an inferential statistical method found no significant difference between the two control groups and or one experimental group

Evidenced-based Outcomes: the Impact of Utilizing a Front-end Assessment Process in a Post-secondary Apprenticeship Program

The intent of this practitioner-based research study is to determine if the assessment process performed in the early stages of a US-DOL-approved apprenticeship program serves as a factor in positively impacting student outcomes upon program completion. A series of t-tests were used to measure the outcomes of various groups that utilized similar validated assessments and/or remediation methods. The main participants of this study are post-secondary carpenter apprentices in the Midwest

Future Union Leadership: A Promising & Intense Immersion Model

The intent of this practitioner-based research study was to determine if the 98th session of the Harvard Trade Union Program (HTUP)—held January 12 through February 20, 2009—had a positive impact on future labor leaders’ attitudes and beliefs covering a wide range of pertinent leadership topics. Two surveys were administered over the course of the program in an attempt to ascertain whether or not the six-week experience played a part in changing participants’ attitudes and beliefs related to progressive union leadership. The participants of this program came from public and private sector unions and represented six countries

An Analysis of Contemporary Secondary and Post-Secondary Educational Issues: Comparing the Perceptions of Japanese and US Educators

The intent of this practitioner-based research study is to provide a comparison between Japanese and US educators’ perceptions regarding contemporary secondary and post-secondary educational issues (i.e., college and career readiness, globalization, work ethic, tenure, CTE, professional development, etc.). A survey tool served as the instrument for data collection. Both descriptive and inferential statistical methods (FIG model and t-test, respectively) were utilized to analyze the data collected. In addition, the author provides US-focused commentary on the topics examined therein. (NOTE: This project was made possible as a result of a Fulbright “Specialist” Scholarship awarded to the author on December 6-21, 2010 at Senshu University in Tokyo, Japan.

THE GREAT REGRESSION’S IMPACT ON CONSTRUCTION TRAINING PROGRAMS: MULTI-LEVEL ANALYSES OF RECRUITING & RETENTION CONCEPTS

The intent of this practitioner-based research study is to determine if there is a difference in the attitudes of construction industry professionals—at local and international levels—towards various training-related recruiting and retention concepts. In light of the global economic malaise, training programs are being held to higher standards and, thusly, different metrics than in the past. In today’s environment, outcomes-based designs (versus outputs-based) have gained attention from both private and public funders of such training programs. Thusly, programs must adapt to the needs of the industry rather than rely on outdated materials and methods. To this end, a survey was designed to capture responses from construction industry professionals at the local, national, and international levels. Results were initially analyzed utilizing the FIG model and, finally, using the T-test for independent samples to compare means at local and international levels

L4Fe2As2Te1-xO4-yFy (L = Pr, Sm, Gd): a layered oxypnictide superconductor with Tc up to 45 K

The synthesis, structural and physical properties of iron lanthanide oxypnictide superconductors, L4Fe2As2Te1-xO4 (L = Pr, Sm, Gd), with transition temperature at ~ 25 K are reported. Single crystals have been grown at high pressure using cubic anvil technique. The crystal structure consists of layers of L2O2 tetrahedra separated by alternating layers of chains of Te and of Fe2As2 tetrahedra: -L2O2-Te-L2O2-Fe2As2-L2O2-Te-L2O2- (space group: I4/mmm, a ~ 4.0, c ~ 29.6 {\AA}). Substitution of oxygen by fluorine increases the critical temperature, e.g. in Gd4Fe2As2Te1-xOyF4-y up to 45 K. Magnetic torque measurements reveal an anisotropy of the penetration depths of ~31.Comment: 8 figures, 4 table