Measuring Quality Beyond Test Scores: The Impact of Regional Context on Curriculum Implementation (in Northern Uganda)

Although global initiatives have brought attention to the lack of quality in education systems worldwide; the question remains, how do we implement quality education? Teachers, a vital component of the education process, are not usually included in these global conversations; this results in government initiatives missing key obstacles faced by teachers daily. In this article, we used a rights-based approach to examine the Quality Educators Initiative, specifically its curricular component, as it tries to assist teachers in northern Uganda, an area whose schools and communities are vastly under-resourced and dealing with post-conflict effects. Using a mixed-methods approach, we highlight teachers’ experiences with the National Thematic Curriculum and reveal through our findings that regional contextual factors, and teachers’ voices and changing roles due to these factors, must be taken into consideration when rolling out new education policies

Parameters estimation for a patellofemoral joint of a human knee using a vector method

Position and displacement analysis of a spherical model of a human knee joint using the vector method was presented. Sensitivity analysis and parameter estimation were performed using the evolutionary algorithm method. Computer simulations for the mechanism with estimated parameters proved the effectiveness of the prepared software. The method itself can be useful when solving problems concerning the displacement and loads analysis in the knee joint

Parameters estimation for the spherical model of the human knee joint using vector method

Position and displacement analysis of a spherical model of a human knee joint using the vector method was presented. Sensitivity analysis and parameter estimation were performed using the evolutionary algorithm method. Computer simulations for the mechanism with estimated parameters proved the effectiveness of the prepared software. The method itself can be useful when solving problems concerning the displacement and loads analysis in the knee joint

Optymalizacja elastokinematycznych i dynamicznych charakterystyk 5-wahaczowego zawieszenia kół samochodu

The paper presents optimization of 5-rod (5-link) suspension mechanism used in passenger cars for independent guiding of the wheels. Selected stiffness coefficients defined for five clastomeric bushings installed in joints of the suspension rods are considered as design variables. Two models with lumped parameters (i.e. elastokinematic and dynamic) of wheel-suspension-car body system are formulated to describe relationships between the design variables and the performance indexes including car active safety and ride comfort, respectively. The multi-criteria goal function is minimized using a deterministic algorithm. The suspension with optimized bushings rates fulfils desired elastokinematic criteria together with a defined dynamic criterion, describing the so-called rolling comfort. An event of car passing over short road bump is considered as dynamic conditions. The numerical example deals with an actual middle-class passenger car with 5-rod suspension at the front driven axle. Estimation of the models parameters and their verification were carried out on the basis of indoor and outdoor experiments. The proposed optimization procedure can be used to improve the suspension design or development cycle.W artykule przedstawiono wyniki optymalizacji 5-wahaczowego mechanizmu zawieszenia wykorzystywanego w samochodach osobowych do niezależnego prowadzenia kół. Wybrane współczynniki sztywności, zdefiniowane dla pięciu przegubów elastomerowych instalowanych w wahaczach zawieszenia, są rozpatrywane jako zmienne decyzyjne w optymalizacji. Sformułowano dwa modele o dyskretnych parametrach opisujące właściwości odpowiednio elastokinematyczne i dynamiczne układu koło-zawieszenie-nadwozie. Modele wykorzystano do zapisania związku pomiędzy zmiennymi decyzyjnymi a kryteriami uwzględniającymi wymagania co do komfortu podróży i aktywnego bezpieczeństwa pojazdu. Wielokryterialna funkcja celu jest minimalizowana przy ograniczeniach wykorzystując deterministyczny algorytm. Wyznaczone z optymalizacji podatności przegubów zawieszenie kół przednich spełnia kryterium elastokinematyczne związane z właściwym prowadzeniem koła względem nadwozia przy określonym obciążeniu zewnętrznym. Dodatkowo, wprowadzono kryterium dynamiczne rzutujące na komfort podróży podczas przejazdu samochodu po pojedynczej nierówności typu garb. Przykład numeryczny dotyczy samochodu średniej klasy o przednim napędzie. Estymację parametrów i weryfikację modeli przeprowadzono podczas badań na stanowiskach oraz na drodze

Motion Planning of a Novel 2-DOF Parallel Manipulator Applied as Driving Simulator of the Wheel Loader

A novel parallel manipulator with 3 legs (2 actuated by linear actuators and one supporting pillar),which is applied in a wheel loader driving simulator, is proposed in this paper. The roll angle and the pitch angle of the platform are derived in closed-form of functions of the variable lengths of two actuators. The linear velocity and acceleration of the selected point and angular velocity of the moving platform are determined and compared with measurement results obtained in the respective point and in the body of the wheel loader. The differences between the desired and actual actuator displacements are used as feedback to compute how much force to send to the actuators as some function of the servo error. A numerical example with a proposed mechanism as a driving simulator is presented