The Relationship Between Internship Training and Perceived Preparedness to Practice in School Psychology

The relationship between school psychologist internship training and perceived preparedness to practice was investigated. Ninety-two school psychologists who completed their internship in Illinois completed a survey asking them to rate their internship experience and indicate how well these experiences prepared them to be a school psychologist. Overall, participants reported they were moderately to well prepared to be school psychologists, although variability was noted among individual items. Intellectual assessment, report writing, academic achievement assessment and psychoeducational diagnosis received the highest mean ratings for exposure and adequacy. Psychologists felt most prepared for working with the kindergarten through high school age population, those with learning disabilities, and those with mild mental impairments. Chi square analysis revealed that overall women felt better prepared (p=.03), and reported greater emphasis on contact with community resources during their internship (p=.02) than did men. Possible reasons for this and implications for future studies are presented

The Relationship Between Internship Training and Perceived Preparedness to Practice in School Psychology

The relationship between school psychologist internship training and perceived preparedness to practice was investigated. Ninety-two school psychologists who completed their internship in Illinois completed a survey asking them to rate their internship experience and indicate how well these experiences prepared them to be a school psychologist. Overall, participants reported they were moderately to well prepared to be school psychologists, although variability was noted among individual items. Intellectual assessment, report writing, academic achievement assessment and psychoeducational diagnosis received the highest mean ratings for exposure and adequacy. Psychologists felt most prepared for working with the kindergarten through high school age population, those with learning disabilities, and those with mild mental impairments. Chi square analysis revealed that overall women felt better prepared (p=.03), and reported greater emphasis on contact with community resources during their internship (p=.02) than did men. Possible reasons for this and implications for future studies are presented

Design, Fabrication and Testing of Two Dimensional Radio Frequency Metamaterials

This project focused on radio frequency (RF) metamaterials (MTM) structures using two different methods: wet etching copper (Cu) on insulating glass reinforced epoxy resin (FR4) and silver nano-particle ink printed SRR meta-atoms on photo paper (Ag on paper). Once the MTMs were fabricated, RF properties were measured using a 0-4 GHz stripline and the 2-18 GHz broad antenna near-field test and measurement range two dimensional focus beam system. Through electromagnetic (EM) material property extraction of these RF measurements, the EM properties of the MTM were also shown. Three tests were employed: scattering parameter measurements, near-field testing, and empty PPWG application testing. Results from the RF testing showed that the highest performing MTM was the Ag on paper with FR4 backing. These devices performed closest to analytic modeling and showing resonance within .4% of simulations (2.56 GHz to 2.57 GHz). This sample also displayed the best null at -21 dB, which was 3 dB lower than the Cu on FR4. These results could be used in a number of applications, including RF absorbers or RF cloaking devices. We have successfully shown a fully capable metamaterial testing system including material property extraction

Eine Analyse des Credit Spreads und seiner Komponenten als Grundlage für Hedge Strategien mit Kreditderivaten

In almost every financial market crisis we can observe widening credit spreads, especially in the last years during the subprime and sovereign debt crisis. But what exactly drives the credit spread? This paper will outline static components, i.e. default risk, liquidity, risk and the relative attractiveness of government bonds. Afterwards we will shed some light on the dynamic components that underlie the changes in static components. Dynamic components comprise the economic situation, a market component, interest rates, term structure, time to maturity and credit rating migration. In the second part, this paper aims to provide an insight on how the risk contained in the credit spread can be hedged appropriately. This includes the definition of an appropriate hedge and how diversification influences the riskiness of credit portfolios. For single-name credit and market component risk the applicability of CDS will be examined. However, iTraxx Index Swaps are considered to be the superior instrument regarding hedging systematic market component risk on single-name and portfolio level. Finally, an excursus will investigate ways to extract default probabilities from credit spreads