Development of an Alumni Relations Web App Using an Agile Approach

I present my experience developing a web app to interface with an alumni database for the Computing Sciences department at Brockport. Prior to the end of each semester, the College seeks to gather relevant information from graduating students (e.g. contact information, employment data, etc.). All this information is stored in a database, whose schema was designed by the department faculty some years ago. A prior project took a UML modeling-based waterfall approach to constructing the web app to interface to this database using a ‘pure’ MVC approach and the CakePHP tool. This effort did not meet user needs. Therefore, over the past year, I adopted a more Agile-based approach to building this system. I decided to drop the use of CakePHP and explore other contemporary web technologies that were not previously incorporated, such as jQuery, Bootstrap, and PHP data objects (PDO). I will describe how the development team would explore the use of a tool to achieve a certain kind of behavior, meet regularly to demonstrate the results of their exploration, and then seek to implement and thoroughly test a feature of the actual system using (or deciding against the use of) the explored tools. Seeking customer feedback on this feature, I then moved ahead with the same approach for the next feature. I will discuss how the use of an Agile approach, as opposed to the traditional waterfall method, gave us the opportunity to both continually have a working system and to receive feedback on the direction in which my project was headed. Additionally, I will touch on other aspects of my experience, such as the benefits I derived from having the learnings from the earlier failed project, and the compromises I had to make with architectural purity in order to use appropriate tools.SUNY BrockportComputer ScienceSenior Honors These

Development of an Alumni Relations Web App Using an Agile Approach

I present my experience developing a web app to interface with an alumni database for the Computing Sciences department at Brockport. Prior to the end of each semester, the College seeks to gather relevant information from graduating students (e.g. contact information, employment data, etc.). All this information is stored in a database, whose schema was designed by the department faculty some years ago. A prior project took a UML modeling-based waterfall approach to constructing the web app to interface to this database using a ‘pure’ MVC approach and the CakePHP tool. This effort did not meet user needs. Therefore, over the past year, I adopted a more Agile-based approach to building this system. I decided to drop the use of CakePHP and explore other contemporary web technologies that were not previously incorporated, such as jQuery, Bootstrap, and PHP data objects (PDO). I will describe how the development team would explore the use of a tool to achieve a certain kind of behavior, meet regularly to demonstrate the results of their exploration, and then seek to implement and thoroughly test a feature of the actual system using (or deciding against the use of) the explored tools. Seeking customer feedback on this feature, I then moved ahead with the same approach for the next feature. I will discuss how the use of an Agile approach, as opposed to the traditional waterfall method, gave us the opportunity to both continually have a working system and to receive feedback on the direction in which my project was headed. Additionally, I will touch on other aspects of my experience, such as the benefits I derived from having the learnings from the earlier failed project, and the compromises I had to make with architectural purity in order to use appropriate tools

Interview of Maribel W. Molyneaux, Ph.D.

Maribel Molyneaux was born in 1934 in Norristown, Pennsylvania. She grew up on a farm with her three siblings and other extended family. She graduated high school at the top of her class, and after graduating, she married at the age of 21 . Her husband, Jim Molyneaux is the brother of Gerry Molyneaux, a Christian brother in the Communication Department at La Salle University. Maribel had four children and decided to return to school at the age of 40. She attended her local community college for two years, and then transferred to La Salle University. This was a recommendation by Brother Gerry Molyneaux, seeing as the two of them are good friends. After graduating from La Salle University, she attended University of Pennsylvania for graduate school. After graduation, she worked some temporary jobs at Penn, and soon after decided to take a permanent job at La Salle University. Here she began by teaching theory and writing classes, and soon enough, she was teaching honors courses and conducting seminars. She is a passionate feminist, atheist, and grandmother. She has eight grandchildren and is loving life. At the time of the interview, she was still teaching at La Salle University

Prototypische Routinen von Lehrkräften im Umgang mit Unterrichtseinstiegen, Experimenten und Schülervorstellungen im Biologieunterricht

Aus- und Weiterbildungen von Lehrkräften sollten u. a. zum Ziel haben, inhaltsspezifische Lehr- und Lernprozesse theoriebasiert zu reflektieren und darauf aufbauend die Handlungskompetenz für die Gestaltung von Unterricht zu erweitern (Staub, 2005). Diese Ziele werden bei fachspezifisch-pädagogischen Coachings (Staub, 2001) oder auch bei der videobasierten Unterrichtsreflexion verfolgt. Allerdings geht die Erweiterung der Handlungskompetenz mit der Veränderung handlungsleitender Kognitionen einher, die sehr stabil gelten und nur schwer veränderbar. Um handlungsleitende Kognitionen von Lehrkräften zu verändern, reicht es in aller Regel nicht aus, sie mit Ergebnissen aus der pädagogischen Forschung zu konfrontieren (Eckerle & Kraak, 1993). Vielmehr ist für eine dauerhafte Veränderung handlungsleitender Kognitionen notwendig, dass Lehrkräfte ihr eigenes Handeln im Unterricht reflektieren (Wood et al., 1991; Prawat, 1992). Es ist daher notwendig alternative Wege zu finden, um Lehrkräfte zur Reflexion des eigenen Unterrichts zu bewegen. Dazu existieren vielfältige, zumeist videobasierte, Ansätze. Das im Rahmen dieser Studie entwickelte CD-ROM gestützte Programm PRoBiL soll diese Funktion im Rahmen von Lehreraus- und -fortbildung übernehmen. Im Zentrum dieser Arbeit stand die Entwicklung des CD-ROM gestützten Computerprogramms PRoBiL zur Reflexion individueller prototypischer Routinen von Biologielehrkräften. Dazu mussten zunächst stabile prototypische Routinen von Biologielehrkräften identifiziert, unterschieden und beschrieben werden. In insgesamt vier Teilstudien wurde zu diesem Zweck ein Testinstrument entwickelt, welches die empirische Unterscheidung der Biologielehrkräfte der Stichprobe in zwei Gruppen mittels prototypischer Routinen zuließ. Eine Gruppe von Lehrkräften kann einem Muster prototypischer Routinen zugeordnet werden, welches als problemorientierte Routine bezeichnet wird, die andere Gruppe einem Muster, welches als informierende Routine bezeichnet wird. Biologielehrkräfte, die der problemorientierten Routine zugeordnet werden, zeichnen sich in Unterrichtseinstiegssituationen unabhängig vom Inhalt durch ihre starke Betonung der Problemorientierung bzw. der Verwendung eines kognitiven Konflikts aus. Außerdem scheint es typisch für diese Biologielehrkräfte zu sein, dass sie auf fachlich falsche Schülervorstellungen z. B. durch Verwendung eines kognitiven Konflikts reagieren. Beim Experimentieren im Unterricht lassen sie ihren Schülern viele Freiheiten, das Experiment bzw. den gesamten naturwissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisweg mitzugestalten. Biologielehrkräfte, die der informierenden Routine zugeordnet werden, bevorzugen es beim Unterrichtseinstieg die Schüler über die Inhalte und Ziele der folgenden Unterrichtsstunde zu informieren oder einen handlungsorientierten Unterrichtseinstieg zu wählen. Stellen Sie während des Unterrichts eine fachlich falsche Schülervorstellung fest, neigen sie dazu bereits besprochene Unterrichtsinhalte selbst zu wiederholen oder von Mitschülern wiederholen zu lassen. Bei der Durchführung von Experimenten im Unterricht geben sie Schülern bevorzugt Experimentieranleitungen aus Schulbüchern oder anderen Unterrichtsmaterialien. Die ermittelten prototypischen Routinen wurden in kurze Videosequenzen überführt, die prototypisches Handeln von Biologielehrkräften bei Unterrichtseinstiegen, im Umgang mit Experimenten und Schülervorstellungen zeigen. Die Videosequenzen, die anschließend in PRoBiL integriert wurden, sollen Biologielehrkräften in der Lehreraus- und -weiterbildung als Reflexionsanlass des eigenen Handelns und Unterstützung dienen, das eigene Handeln zielgerichtet zu hinterfragen. Das Programm PRoBiL soll Lehrkräfte in Reflexionsprozessen über individuelle prototypische Routinen unterstützen, um so auch die Tiefenstruktur ihres Unterrichts zu hinterfragen und ggf. zu verändern. Das Bewusstmachen der eigenen prototypischen Routinen und das Kennenlernen prototypischen Routinen anderer Lehrkräfte kann im Rahmen von geeigneten Lehrerfortbildungskonzepten dazu genutzt werden, das Repertoire an Handlungsalternativen in fachspezifischen Kontexten zu erhöhen. Lässt man Lehrkräfte ohne besonderen Arbeitsauftrag Unterricht beobachten, beschränken sich ihre Kommentare oft eine Beschreibung des Gesehenen (van Es & Sherin, 2002). Zumeist sind dies Beobachtungen des Verhaltens und der Inhalte der auf der Ebene der Sichtstruktur (Sherin & Han, 2004). Dies bedeutet auch, dass, wie Ergebnisse dieser Studien belegen, dass Lehrkräfte, die Unterricht ohne Anleitungen beobachten selten Bezüge zu ihren subjektiv theoretischen Wissensbeständen herstellen. Die Ermittlung verschiedene Muster prototypischen Handelns bei Lehrkräften mittels PRoBiL, könnte im Rahmen von Lehrerfortbildungen dazu genutzt werden, individueller auf die Bedürfnisse der teilnehmenden Lehrkräfte einzugehen

Transformational leadership and “flow”: the mediating effects of psychological climate

Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment of PsychologyClive J. A. FullagarWhile researchers have begun to study “flow” (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975) as it applies to the workplace, little is known about the impact of leadership on followers’ flow experiences. The current study examined the effect of transformational leadership on followers’ experiences of flow. It was hypothesized that transformational leaders would have an indirect effect on flow through their positive influence on psychological climate. Bakker’s (2008) WOLF scale was used to assess work-related flow. Results supported the hypothesis; psychological climate fully mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and flow. Transformational leaders had a strong indirect effect on all three components of work-related flow: intrinsic motivation, work enjoyment, and absorption. It was also hypothesized that each of the five climate dimensions would significantly mediate the leadership-flow relationship. The dimensions were examined simultaneously in a multiple mediator model to identify the unique contribution of each dimension. Results indicated that three dimensions were significant mediators of the leadership-flow relationship: contribution, recognition, and challenge. Because Kahn (1990) found these dimensions to be indicative of psychological meaningfulness, this study builds on other research linking transformational leadership to perceptions of meaning. While transformational leadership strongly predicted all five climate dimensions, two dimensions failed to contribute to the prediction of flow and to the overall mediating effect of climate: role clarity and supportive management. Longitudinal research is needed to validate the causal nature of the findings in this study. By conceptualizing “flow” as a specific form of momentary cognitive engagement, the present study illustrates the applicability of “flow” to the workplace. The findings of this study point to leadership behaviors and climate conditions that are conducive to flow. Managers seeking to improve employee engagement can apply these findings to the workplace

Vulnerability Assessment in the Smart Farming Infrastructure through Cyberattacks

The Internet of Things (IoT) has a significant impact on agriculture. So-called Smart Farming uses drones and a variety of sensors to measure climate, irrigation, soil moisture or GPS position. With this rapid influx of technology increases the threat that vulnerabilities in those technologies are being exploited for malicious intent. To show the impact of cyberattacks on agriculture, we present a simulation of several attacks on a ZigBee-based wireless sensor network. We conduct a delay attack, an interference attack and three different routing attacks (sinkhole, blackhole and selective forwarding attack). Those attacks are simulated using NETA with the OMNET++ framework. We will show that the security of WSN is influenced by factors like energy consumption or computation power, which can conflict with other interests like low per-unit costs

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the Military: From Service to Civilian Life

This infographic highlights the unique circumstances faced by Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in the military pertaining to transition, employment, and higher education after service

Missing Perspectives: Asian American & Pacific Islander in the Military--From Service to Civilian Life

This infographic provides key highlights for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) service members, veterans, and their families. The information and statistics in this document are from various data collection efforts centered on military life, resource and financial needs, employment, entrepreneurship, and higher education. Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders are one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse racial groups in the U.S. (their heritage traces to over 30 different countries and ethnic groups and include over 100 languages and dialects)