Composite Skyrme Model with Vector Mesons

We study the composite Skyrme model, proposed by Cheung and G\"{u}rsey, introducing vector mesons in a chiral Lagrangian. We calculate the static properties of baryons and compare with results obtained from models without vector mesons.Comment: LaTeX, 9 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

Perceptions of pre -service elementary teachers about social studies instructional activities and content areas

This study was designed to investigate perceptions held by pre-service elementary teachers about instructional activities and content areas for the social studies. Four major questions were addressed: (1) What do respondents perceive to be the classroom activities with the most educational value? (2) What do respondents believe students find to be the most enjoyable activities? (3) What do respondents say are the classroom activities they would most prefer to use at the various grade levels? and (4) What do respondents say are the most preferred content areas for elementary social studies?;The sample for this study consisted of 80 pre-service elementary teachers at West Virginia University. These students had sequenced through the teacher education program and were anticipating their internship placement. The population was primarily traditional college age females in their senior or fifth year with a grade point average of 2.5 to 4.0, with most falling in the 3.0 to 3.49 range.;Respondents preferred Instructional activities for their educational value, not those which might be more popular with students. Their preferences appear to be based on age/grade/cognitive ability of students and not on the basis, of activities that might be easier to grade or which might facilitate classroom control. Their choices were not limited to just a few activities.;In terms of preferred content areas, the respondents, across all grade levels, most preferred current events, drug education, and multicultural education. They also endorsed the study of conflict resolution and values education for Grades K--3, U.S. history for Grades 4--6 and 7--8, state history for Grades 4--6, and career education for Grades 7--8. They least preferred philosophy, religion, and law-related education across all grade levels. Other lowest ranked instructional content areas were anthropology, archeology, economics, and political science. A comparison of respondent ranking of the content areas with instructional goals and objectives published by the West Virginia Department of Education shows minimal congruence.;In conclusion, this author found the data to show the respondents as having a discerning and sophisticated knowledge to deal with their future responsibilities: a very positive message about social studies in the new millennium

A Note in the Skyrme Model with Higher Derivative Terms

Another stabilizer term is used in the classical Hamiltonian of the Skyrme Model that permits in a much simple way the generalization of the higher-order terms in the pion derivative field. Improved numerical results are obtained.Comment: Latex. Figure not include; available upon request. 7 pages, report

alpha^2 corrections to parapositronium decay: a detailed description

We present details of our recent calculation of alpha^2 corrections to the parapositronium decay into two photons. These corrections are rather small and our final result for the parapositronium lifetime agrees well with the most recent measurement. Implications for orthopositronium decays are briefly discussed.Comment: 18 pages, late

The Single Photon Annihilation Contributions to the Positronium Hyperfine Splitting to Order meα6m_e\alpha^6

The single photon annihilation contributions for the positronium ground state hyperfine splitting are calculated analytically to order $m_e\alpha^6$ using NRQED. Based on intuitive physical arguments the same result can also be determined by a trivial calculation using results from existing literature. Our result completes the hyperfine splitting calculation to order $m_e\alpha^6$. We compare the theoretical prediction with the most recent experimental measurement.Comment: 8 pages, latex, two eps figures include

Remarks on the Collective Quantization of the SU(2) Skyrme Model

We point out the question of ordering momentum operator in the canonical \break quantization of the SU(2) Skyrme Model. Thus, we suggest a new definition for the momentum operator that may solve the infrared problem that appears when we try to minimize the Quantum Hamiltonian.Comment: 8 pages, plain tex, IF/UFRJ/9