UPAYA GURU DALAM MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR SISWA MATA PELAJARAN IPA PADA POKOK BAHASAN PERUBAHANWUJUD BENDA DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN MODEL PEMBELAJARAN INKUIRI (PTK di Kelas IVMI Al Washliyah Perbutulan Kecamatan Sumber Kabupaten Cirebon)

Yuyun Yuniah : Siswa kelas IV MI Al Washliyah Perbutulan Kecamatan Sumber Kabupaten Cirebon, pada hasil nilai ulangan harian IPA pada pokok bahasan perubahan wujud benda, masih banyak siswa yang tidak tuntas belajar, 21 dari 30 siswa nilainya masih di bawah KKM (Kriteria Ketuntasan Minimal). Nilai KKM IPA kelas IV tahun ajaran 2012/2013 adalah 70. Siswa kelas IV juga memiliki karakteristik aktivitas siswa yang pasif, yaitu siswa kurang komunikatif dengan guru dan teman sekelasnya. Selama pembelajaran IPA, keterlibatan siswa jarang di libatkan dalam praktikum. Untuk mengatasi permasalahan ini, maka diperlukan suatu model pembelajaran yang banyak melibatkan siswa sehingga dapat meningkatkan aktivitas hasil dan ketuntasan belajar siswa. Salah satu model yang digunakan adalah model inkuiri pada pembelajaran IPA. Pengajaran berdasarkan inkuiri adalah suatu strategi yang berpusat pada siswa di mana kelompok siswa inkuiri kedalam suatu isu atau mencari jawabanjawaban terhadap isi pertanyaan melalui suatu prosedur yang digariskan secara jelas dan struktural kelompok. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah (1) Untuk mengkaji keberhasilan penerapan model inkuiri, pada proses pembelajaran IPA pada pokok bahasan perubahan wujud benda di kelas IV, MI Al Washliyah Perbutulan. (2) Untuk mengkaji hasil belajar siswa kelas IV MI Al Washliyah Perbutulan pada pelajaran Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam pada pokok bahasan perubahan wujud benda. (3) Seberapa besar pengaruh penggunaan inkuiri, dengan hasil dan ketuntasan belajar siswa pada pelajaran Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam pada pokok bahasan perubahan wujud benda di kelas IV MI Al Washliyah Perbutulan. Peneliti ini dilakukan di kelas IV MI Al Washliyah Perbutulan Kecamatan Sumber Kabupaten Cirebon, semester ganjil tahun 2012/2013 yang berjumlah 30 siswa dengan menggunakan desain penelitian tindakan kelas dalam dua siklus. Tiap-tiap siklus terdiri dari empat tahap yaitu perencanaan, pelaksanaan tindakan, pengamatan dan refleksi. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan cara observasi, wawancara dan penilaian hasil belajar. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian diperoleh nilai rata-rata hasil belajar siswa pada siklus I adalah 61,33 dan siklus II adalah 79. Secara umum dapat disimpulkan bahwa pembelajaran inkuiri dapat meningkatkan aktivitas siswa

The shape of jamming arches in two-dimensional deposits of granular materials

We present experimental results on the shape of arches that block the outlet of a two dimensional silo. For a range of outlet sizes, we measure some properties of the arches such as the number of particles involved, the span, the aspect ratio, and the angles between mutually stabilizing particles. These measurements shed light on the role of frictional tangential forces in arching. In addition, we find that arches tend to adopt an aspect ratio (the quotient between height and half the span) close to one, suggesting an isotropic load. The comparison of the experimental results with data from numerical models of the arches formed in the bulk of a granular column reveals the similarities of both, as well as some limitations in the few existing models.Comment: 8 pages; submitted to Physical Review

A jigsaw puzzle metamaterial concept

A concept of a planar modular mechanical metamaterial inspired by the nature's principle of local adaptivity is proposed. The metamaterial consists of identical pieces similar to jigsaw puzzle tiles. Their rotation within assembly provides a substantial flexibility in terms of structural behavior and mechanical interlocks enable reassembly. The tile design with a diagonal elliptical opening allows us to vary elastic properties--from stiff to compliant, with positive, zero, or negative Poisson's ratio. The outcomes of experimental testing on additively manufactured specimens confirm that the assembly properties can be accurately designed using optimization approaches with finite element analysis at heart.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Holomorphic anomaly equations and the Igusa cusp form conjecture

Let $S$ be a K3 surface and let $E$ be an elliptic curve. We solve the reduced Gromov-Witten theory of the Calabi-Yau threefold $S \times E$ for all curve classes which are primitive in the K3 factor. In particular, we deduce the Igusa cusp form conjecture. The proof relies on new results in the Gromov-Witten theory of elliptic curves and K3 surfaces. We show the generating series of Gromov-Witten classes of an elliptic curve are cycle-valued quasimodular forms and satisfy a holomorphic anomaly equation. The quasimodularity generalizes a result by Okounkov and Pandharipande, and the holomorphic anomaly equation proves a conjecture of Milanov, Ruan and Shen. We further conjecture quasimodularity and holomorphic anomaly equations for the cycle-valued Gromov-Witten theory of every elliptic fibration with section. The conjecture generalizes the holomorphic anomaly equations for ellliptic Calabi-Yau threefolds predicted by Bershadsky, Cecotti, Ooguri, and Vafa. We show a modified conjecture holds numerically for the reduced Gromov-Witten theory of K3 surfaces in primitive classes.Comment: 68 page

Basel II, External Ratings and Adverse Selection

This paper will describe and analyse the development of Basel II Capital Accord and will focus on the use of external ratings in the Standardized Approach in Basel II. Furthermore it will examine the problem of adverse selection which appears in Basel II as a result from the proposal for the use of external ratings in determining the risk weights in the standardized approach. The paper will also attempt to find possible solutions to the adverse selection problem by discussing two similar models, and derive implications from them.Basel II, external ratings, adverse selection, rating agencies, standardized approach

Exploring patterns of recurrent melanoma in Northeast Scotland to inform the introduction a digital self-examination intervention

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Consumer acceptance of patient-performed mobile teledermoscopy for the early detection of melanoma

Background Mobile teledermoscopy allows consumers to send images of skin lesions to a teledermatologist for remote diagnosis. Currently, technology acceptance of mobile teledermoscopy by people at high risk of melanoma is unknown. Objectives We aimed to determine the acceptance of mobile teledermoscopy by consumers based on perceived usefulness, ease of use, compatibility, attitude/intention, subjective norms, facilitators and trust before use. Consumer satisfaction was explored after use

Advances in green leases and green leasing: evidence from Sweden, Australia, and the UK

Improving the environmental performance of non-domestic buildings is a complex problem due to the participation of multiple stakeholders. This is particularly challenging in tenanted spaces, where landlord and tenant interactions are regulated through leases that traditionally ignore environmental considerations. ‘Green leasing’ has been conceptualized as a form of ‘middle-out’ inter-organisational environmental governance that operates between organisations, alongside other drivers. Green leases form a valuable framework for tenant–landlord cooperation within properties and across portfolios. This paper offers a comparative international investigation of how leases are evolving to become ‘greener’ in Sweden, Australia, and the UK, drawing on experience from an IEA project on behaviour change and a UK project on energy strategy development. It considers how stakeholder retrofit opportunities and interactions in non-domestic buildings are shaped by the (1) policy context in each country (e.g., the EPBD, NABERS, and MEES) and (2) prevailing leasing practices in each country. Based on this analysis, the paper develops a new market segmentation framework to accentuate the different roles that public sector organisations and private property companies play as both tenants and landlords across countries. We suggest that national government policies assist the public sector in leading on better leasing practices, whereas international certification and benchmarking schemes (e.g., BREEAM & GRESB) may provide more fuel to private sector tenants and landlords. The paper concludes with a discussion of the fit between property portfolios and policies, suggesting that international green lease standards might assist multinational tenants and property owners in upgrading both their premises and their operational practices

Deriving a preference-based measure for cancer using the EORTC QLQ-C30 : a confirmatory versus exploratory approach

Background: To derive preference-based measures from various condition-specific descriptive health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures. A general 2-stage method is evolved: 1) an item from each domain of the HRQOL measure is selected to form a health state classification system (HSCS); 2) a sample of health states is valued and an algorithm derived for estimating the utility of all possible health states. The aim of this analysis was to determine whether confirmatory or exploratory factor analysis (CFA, EFA) should be used to derive a cancer-specific utility measure from the EORTC QLQ-C30. Methods: Data were collected with the QLQ-C30v3 from 356 patients receiving palliative radiotherapy for recurrent or metastatic cancer (various primary sites). The dimensional structure of the QLQ-C30 was tested with EFA and CFA, the latter based on a conceptual model (the established domain structure of the QLQ-C30: physical, role, emotional, social and cognitive functioning, plus several symptoms) and clinical considerations (views of both patients and clinicians about issues relevant to HRQOL in cancer). The dimensions determined by each method were then subjected to item response theory, including Rasch analysis. Results: CFA results generally supported the proposed conceptual model, with residual correlations requiring only minor adjustments (namely, introduction of two cross-loadings) to improve model fit (increment χ2(2) = 77.78, p 75% observation at lowest score), 6 exhibited misfit to the Rasch model (fit residual > 2.5), none exhibited disordered item response thresholds, 4 exhibited DIF by gender or cancer site. Upon inspection of the remaining items, three were considered relatively less clinically important than the remaining nine. Conclusions: CFA appears more appropriate than EFA, given the well-established structure of the QLQ-C30 and its clinical relevance. Further, the confirmatory approach produced more interpretable results than the exploratory approach. Other aspects of the general method remain largely the same. The revised method will be applied to a large number of data sets as part of the international and interdisciplinary project to develop a multi-attribute utility instrument for cancer (MAUCa)

MHC-correlated preferences in diestrous female horses (Equus caballus).

Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have been shown to influence communication in many vertebrates, possibly with context-specific MHC-correlated reactions. Here we test for MHC-linked female preferences in the polygynous horse (Equus caballus) by repeatedly exposing 19 mares to a group of seven sexually experienced stallions. Each mare was tested four times during two consecutive reproductive cycles, twice during estrus and twice during diestrus. Male plasma testosterone concentrations were determined from weekly blood samples, and equine leukocyte antigen (ELA) class I and II alleles were determined serologically at the end of the experiments. Perception of male attractiveness was strongly dependent on estrous cycle: mean preference scores did not correlate for mares in diestrus and estrus and varied more during estrus than during diestrus. We found elevated female interests for MHC-dissimilar stallions, but only during diestrus, not during estrus. Female preferences were not significantly predicted by mean male testosterone plasma concentrations. However, testosterone concentrations changed during the 11 weeks of the experiment. By the end of the experiment, average testosterone concentration was significantly correlated to the average number of MHC alleles the stallions shared with the mares. We conclude that the MHC affects female preferences for stallions, but non-MHC linked male characteristics can overshadow effects of the MHC during estrus