The Effects of Audio/Visual Stimulation and Virtual Reality to Increase the Rate of Retention in First Semester Freshmen Graphic Communications Students

In March of 2020, the world entered the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving educators to answer the question, how do we teach in a virtual environment? . This was especially difficult for deeply rooted STEM programs such as Graphic Communications at Clemson University. This research aims to analyze multiple methods of virtual teaching for correlation between enhanced retention rates. This thesis attempts to solve the problem facing global STEM educators when they are attempting to prepare material for students in a virtual environment. This is achieved by presenting them with how different methodologies impact the retention rate on freshmen level students enrolled in the Graphic Communications program at Clemson University. The study divided students into three groups, all receiving a different instructional method, and then assessed their retention on the content area of flexography press. This area is traditionally delivered in a hands-on approach. This research study provided data that demonstrates that the implementation of virtual reality software increases the rate of retention for STEM students with no previous knowledge of a flexography press. However, the biggest takeaway is that virtual reality software enhanced their ability to retain the functionality of parts much better than those of their peers who received other teaching methodologies. This research can be applied to future studies in this area by assessing a larger group of students and other content areas. This research could be furthered by expanding it to include other groups of STEM students such as engineering to validate if virtual reality is a factor for increased retention rates across all STEM students

Using active learning to enhance supply chain knowledge

The constantly evolving logistics discipline confronts practitioners with the challenge of keeping pace with the many advancements in the field. The authors examine ways in which logistics trainers may be able to improve their ability to effectively convey knowledge to logistics practitioners by supplementing the traditional lecture-based approaches with active learning exercises. The results of a recently conducted survey detailing current usage levels and approaches of active learning exercises, specifically simulations, by logistics educators is then presented. The paper also summarizes comments from individual simulation participants after they have completed a training experience designed to immerse them in a real world supply chain scenario. The article concludes by providing suggestions and managerial implications

The Basic Course at U.S. Colleges and Universities: V

This paper reports the results of a survey undertaken to determine the nature of the basic course in speech as it is now taught at United States colleges and universities, and to identify important trends in instruction of the basic communication course. It appears that enrollment in the basic course is increasing. Findings are also reported concerning the orientation taken in the basic course, along with information on instructional methods used and administrative concerns connected with the basic course. The various implications of the findings are discussed

The role of the chemical composition of monetite on the synthesis and properties of α-tricalcium phosphate

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Constructing 3D crystal templates for photonic band gap materials using holographic optical tweezers

A simple and robust method is presented for the construction of 3-dimensional crystals from silica and polystyrene microspheres. The crystals are suitable for use as templates in the production of three-dimensional photonic band gap (PBG) materials. Manipulation of the microspheres was achieved using a dynamic holographic assembler (DHA) consisting of computer controlled holographic optical tweezers. Attachment of the microspheres was achieved by adjusting their colloidal interactions during assembly. The method is demonstrated by constructing a variety of 3-dimensional crystals using spheres ranging in size from 3 µm down to 800 nm. A major advantage of the technique is that it may be used to build structures that cannot be made using self-assembly. This is illustrated through the construction of crystals in which line defects have been deliberately included, and by building simple cubic structures

The Basic Communication Course at U.S. Colleges and Universities: VI

This is the sixth in a series of investigations of the basic communication course, begun in 1968 by members of the Undergraduate Speech Instruction Interest Group of the Speech Association of America. This study was replicated in 1974, 1980, 1985, and 1990. Each of these studies gathered and reported information on instructional practices and administrative issues in the basic course at two- and four-year colleges and universities. In this study, the survey instrument from 1990 was revised to reflect contemporary concerns and mailed to the National Communication Association mailing list of 1500 schools. Data were analyzed and presented from 292 responding schools covering institutional demographics and (1) general approach and orientation to the basic course, (2) pedagogy (which subsumes seven sub-categories), (3) enrollment description and dynamics, and (4) administrative concerns. Comparisons to past and studies indicate the basic communication course is thriving and growing, but some of the same problems continue today that beset the course in the past

An optically actuated surface scanning probe

We demonstrate the use of an extended, optically trapped probe that is capable of imaging surface topography with nanometre precision, whilst applying ultra-low, femto-Newton sized forces. This degree of precision and sensitivity is acquired through three distinct strategies. First, the probe itself is shaped in such a way as to soften the trap along the sensing axis and stiffen it in transverse directions. Next, these characteristics are enhanced by selectively position clamping independent motions of the probe. Finally, force clamping is used to refine the surface contact response. Detailed analyses are presented for each of these mechanisms. To test our sensor, we scan it laterally over a calibration sample consisting of a series of graduated steps, and demonstrate a height resolution of ∼ 11 nm. Using equipartition theory, we estimate that an average force of only ∼ 140 fN is exerted on the sample during the scan, making this technique ideal for the investigation of delicate biological samples

Furthering the understanding of silicate-substitution in α-tricalcium phosphate : an X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance study

High-purity (SupT) and reagent-grade (ST), stoichiometric and silicate-containing α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP: ST0/SupT0 and Si-TCP x = 0.10: ST10/SupT10) were prepared by solid-state reaction based on the substitution mechanism Ca3(PO4)(2-x)(SiO4)x. Samples were determined to be phase pure by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Rietveld analysis performed on the XRD data confirmed inclusion of Si in the α-TCP structure as determined by increases in unit cell parameters; particularly marked increases in the b-axis and β-angle were observed. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) confirmed the presence of expected levels of Si in Si-TCP compositions as well as significant levels of impurities (Mg, Al and Fe) present in all ST samples; SupT samples showed both expected levels of Si and a high degree of purity. Phosphorus (31P) magic-angle-spinning solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) measurements revealed that the high-purity reagents used in the synthesis of SupT0 can resolve the 12 expected peaks in the 31P spectrum of α-TCP compared to the low-purity ST0 that showed significant spectral line broadening; line broadening was also observed with the inclusion of Si which is indicative of induced structural disorder. Silicon (29Si) MAS NMR was also performed on both Si-TCP samples which revealed Q0 species of Si with additional Si Q1/Q2 species that may indicate a potential charge-balancing mechanism involving the inclusion of disilicate groups; additional Q4 Si species were also observed, but only for ST10. Heating and cooling rates were briefly investigated by 31P MAS NMR which showed no significant line broadening other than that associated with the emergence of β-TCP which was only realised with the reagent-grade sample ST0. This study provides an insight into the structural effects of Si-substitution in α-TCP and could provide a basis for understanding how substitution affects the physicochemical properties of the material

Universal Properties of the Four-Body System with Large Scattering Length

Few-body systems with large scattering length have universal properties that do not depend on the details of their interactions at short distances. We study the universal bound state properties of the four-boson system with large scattering length in an effective quantum mechanics approach. We compute the four-body binding energies using the Yakubovsky equations for positive and negative scattering length. Moreover, we study the correlation between three- and four-body energies and present a generalized Efimov plot for the four-body system. These results are useful for understanding the cluster structure of nuclei and for the creation of weakly-bound tetramers with cold atoms close to a Feshbach resonance.Comment: 14 pages, 4 ps figures, minor changes, version to appear in EPJ

Non-spherical optically trapped probes: Design, control, and applications

In this proceedings paper we show describe how a microtool can be assembled, and tracked in three dimensions such that its full rotational and translational coordinates, q, are recovered. This allows tracking of the motion of any arbitrary point, d, on the microtool's surface. When the micro-tool is held using multiple optical traps the motion of such a point investigates the inside of an ellipsoidal volume - we term this a 'thermal ellipsoid. We demonstrate how the shape of this thermal ellipsoid may be controlled by varying the relative trapping power of the optical traps, and adjusting the angle at which the micro-tool is held relative to the focal plane. Our experimental results follow the trends derived by Simpson and Hanna