Links between ICT advanced skills teachers and initial teacher training

This report and guidance materials were compiled for the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA)Research undertaken at one higher education institution located in West London, UK sought to explore links between ICT Avanced Skills Teachers (AST) and Initial Teacher Training (ITT). The main objective was to capture the perceptions and experiences of leading ASTs in ICT along with those of teacher educators and trainee teachers to identify ways in which collaborative and/or sustainable partnerships might be forged, which enable trainee teachers to gain exposure to cutting edge, best practice of ICT in primary and secondary schools

Definition of experimental studies for determining gaseous and particulate cloud environment of manned spacecraft and applications to cometary physics Final report

Cosmic gas environment surrounding manned spacecraf

Exchange of information about physical education to support the transition of pupils from primary and secondary school

The purpose of this study was to identify how information about physical education is exchanged between secondary schools and their respective feeder primary schools, what information is exchanged and how this information is used. A secondary purpose was to look at whether there is any relationship between schools engaging in liaison activities and exchanging information about physical education, and between exchanging information and the number of associated secondary schools to which pupils are sent or feeder primary schools from which pupils are received. Questionnaires were sent to 177 secondary and 538 feeder primary schools. Responses from 80 secondary schools and 299 primary schools showed that the highest percentage of teachers exchanged information through written documentation, followed by discussion at cross phase liaison meetings. The type of information exchanged by the highest percentage of teachers was identified as generic information about key stage 2 and 3 of the National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE) areas of activity and schemes of work, rather than information about the specific physical education content covered or information about individual pupils, such as levels of attainment or ability. Further, results suggest that information may be used for pastoral purposes and that only a small percentage of teachers used the information exchanged to plan for continuity and progression in the physical education curriculum. There was a significant positive relationship between engagement in liaison activities and information received about the physical education curriculum followed by pupils, but a significant negative relationship for primary teachers between the number of different secondary schools to which pupils' progress and knowledge about the key stage 3 schemes of work that Year 6 pupils will follow in their associated secondary schools. These results are discussed in relation to continuity and progression in physical education in the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary schools

A study of current practice in liaison between primary and secondary schools in physical education

The purpose of this study was to investigate current practice in liaison between primary and secondary schools to promote continuity and progression in physical education during the transfer of pupils from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 and to identify constraints to engaging in liaison activities. A questionnaire was completed by the head of the physical education department in secondary schools in five local education authorities in England that received pupils from primary schools in year 7 (n = 80) and by the physical education coordinator of the primary feeder schools of those secondary schools that responded to the questionnaire (n = 299). Results showed that 32 (43.8%) secondary teachers and 157 (53.4%) primary teachers identified that they had established contacts with their primary feeder schools or associated secondary schools respectively; and 49 (64.5%) secondary teachers but 114 (39.6%) primary teachers identified that currently they were engaged in liaison activities. There was a discrepancy between the percentages of teachers who indicated they had contacts with their primary feeder schools or associated secondary schools respectively, and who indicated they were engaged in liaison activities with them. These results suggested that contacts with and/or engagement in liaison activities between primary and secondary schools were not consistent across schools. A range of constraints for developing effective contacts/liaison activities were identified, with time being identified as the major constraint by both primary and secondary teachers. A range of suggestions for overcoming the constraints were also identified. These results are discussed in relation to findings from studies looking at liaison in other subjects and also in relation to the implications for schools

The transfer of pupils from primary to secondary school: A case study of a foundation subject - physical education

A series of transitions, from class to class, year to year and school to school, are integral to the education system in England. The transfer of pupils from primary to secondary education is an important stage of transition. Models for managing this transfer highlight different aspects of the experience, including social/pastoral integration and curriculum continuity and progression of individual pupils. The purpose of this study was to investigate the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary school in relation to physical education. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 secondary school physical education heads of department. Results showed that although all of the heads of department reported the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary school to be very important in relation to physical education, this was not translated into practice. There was limited involvement in activities supporting the transfer from primary to secondary school, and what involvement there was placed greater emphasis on activities to support social/pastoral integration than to support continuity and progression of individual pupils during transfer. Some possible reasons for these results are considered, along with some suggestions for further research

Real-time in-flight thrust calculation on a digital electronic engine control-equipped F100 engine in an F-15 airplane

Computer algorithms which calculate in-flight engine and aircraft performance real-time are discussed. The first step was completed with the implementation of a real-time thrust calculation program on a digital electronic engine control (DEEC) equiped F100 engine in an F-15 aircraft. The in-flight thrust modifications that allow calculations to be performed in real-time, to compare results to predictions, are presented

Test and evaluation of the HIDEC engine uptrim algorithm

The highly integrated digital electronic control (HIDEC) program will demonstrate and evaluate the improvements in performance and mission effectiveness that result from integrated engine-airframe control systems. Performance improvements will result from an adaptive engine stall margin mode, a highly integrated mode that uses the airplane flight conditions and the resulting inlet distortion to continuously compute engine stall margin. When there is excessive stall margin, the engine is uptrimmed for more thrust by increasing engine pressure ratio (EPR). The EPR uptrim logic has been evaluated and implemented into computer simulations. Thrust improvements over 10 percent are predicted for subsonic flight conditions. The EPR uptrim was successfully demonstrated during engine ground tests. Test results verify model predictions at the conditions tested

Triaxial nuclear models and the outer crust of nonaccreting cold neutron stars

The properties and composition of the outer crust of nonaccreting cold neutron stars are studied by applying the model of Baym, Pethick, and Sutherland (BPS) and taking into account for the first time triaxial deformations of nuclei. Two theoretical nuclear models, Hartree-Fock plus pairing in the BCS approximation (HF-BCS) with Skyrme SLy6 parametrization and Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov (HFB) with Gogny D1S force, are used to calculate the nuclear masses. The two theoretical calculations are compared concerning their neutron drip line, binding energies, magic neutron numbers, and the sequence of nuclei in the outer crust of nonaccreting cold neutron stars, with special emphasis on the effect of triaxial deformations. The BPS model is extended by the higher-order corrections for the atomic binding, screening, exchange and zero-point energies. The influence of the higher-order corrections on the sequence of the outer crust is investigated.Comment: 7 page

Stability of bubble nuclei through Shell-Effects

We investigate the shell structure of bubble nuclei in simple phenomenological shell models and study their binding energy as a function of the radii and of the number of neutron and protons using Strutinsky's method. Shell effects come about, on the one hand, by the high degeneracy of levels with large angular momentum and, on the other, by the big energy gaps between states with a different number of radial nodes. Shell energies down to -40 MeV are shown to occur for certain magic nuclei. Estimates demonstrate that the calculated shell effects for certain magic numbers of constituents are probably large enough to produce stability against fission, alpha-, and beta-decay. No bubble solutions are found for mass number A < 450.Comment: 9 pages and 9 figures in the eps format include