An Applied Organizational Analysis of School Factors Affecting Technology Integration within the Context of Literacy Instruction

The purpose of this Dissertation in Practice was to analyze the organizational factors affecting technology integration within the context of literacy instruction at a single school site that was preparing to implement a 1:1 mobile device initiative in all K-5 classrooms the following academic year. This was achieved through conducting an organizational analysis using a multi-frame model developed by Bolman and Deal (2008). This study used a convergent parallel mixed methods research design consisting of teacher and administrator interviews, a quantitative and qualitative survey, and classroom observational data. One main evaluation question was designed to frame this organizational analysis: What organizational factors support and impede technology integration within the context of literacy instruction? To answer the main evaluation question, the evaluator collected data to answer six evaluation sub-questions. The evaluation sub-questions were developed to ensure that data was being collected among Bolman and Deal\u27s (2008) four frames. In the context of integrating technology into literacy instruction, the data collected in this study suggest that the organizational strategies and issues within the human resource frame are impacting, and are impacted by, the organization\u27s political, structural, and symbolic practices. The teachers\u27 lack of opportunities to develop the requisite knowledge, experience, and skills needed to integrate technology into literacy instruction seem to have impacted the teachers\u27 level of technology integration as well as their levels of concern. Data from this organizational analysis indicated that the lack of time was a major obstacle in learning how to integrate mobile devices into literacy instruction. The school\u27s current team-based organizational model, while supporting other aspects of their education practices, may create structural and political barriers to effectively implement the 1:1 mobile device initiative. Observations and interviews suggested that the school values technology to support basic literacy skills, but not the transformative role of technology on literacy in today\u27s society. Using all four frames of the Bolman and Deal\u27s (2008) model allows an organization to look beyond one frame, such as developing human resources through professional development, when working towards implementing a school-wide initiative effectively. Although tailored professional development is necessary for teachers to learn how to integrate technology into literacy instruction, the professional development will not be effective without greater stability in the instructional staff, and focused political and structural solutions that will support the instructional staff\u27s professional learning and implementation

Regularizing the quark-level σ\sigma model

We show that the finite difference, $-i\pi^2 m^2$, between quadratic and logarithmic divergent integrals $\int d^4p[m^2(p^2-m^2)^{-2}-(p^2-m^2)^{-1}]$, as encountered in the linear $\sigma$ model, is in fact regularization independent.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures, Latex, to appear in Mod. Phys. Lett.

Viral Transmission in Organ Transplantation: The Importance of Risk Assessment

Organ transplantation presents a low but extant risk of allograft transmission of blood-borne viruses (BBV) including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Other infections temporarily present in blood are also transmissible from donor to recipient, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), polyomavirus (BK), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and others, where the donor has acute infection at the time of donation. Decisions about accepting organs for transplantation involve a trade-off between the acquisition of good-quality organs, which can confer longer survival time for the recipient, but at the risk of dying from waiting too long from the underlying condition, versus accepting an organ of less quality, but at the risk of potentially acquiring a donor-derived infection (DDI), unless such infection can be ruled out in the donated organ. In this chapter, we describe the different factors contributing to the overall risk of acquiring a BBV infection through the allograft, mechanisms for assessing risk of the donor and the different strategies available to minimize or mitigate the risk. The process is one of risk assessments and risk ameliorations through optimum laboratory and clinical assessment processes, so that transplantation professionals can balance the overall risk against the life-saving and life-enhancing benefits of organ transplantation

Cost optimization of offshore wind farm combination with reversible solid oxide cell system producing hydrogen using the PyPSA power system modelling tool

In the context of reaching the net zero carbon target, the UK has set an ambitious target of having a green hydrogen production capacity of 5 GW by 2030. As part of the EPSRC-funded project on high efficiency reversible solid oxide cells (rSOC) for the integration of offshore renewable energy (ORE) using hydrogen, eight scenarios where hydrogen is combined with offshore renewable energy were identified. A model using the PyPSA power system modelling tool combined with a sensitivity study, investigated optimized rSOC system capacities, hydrogen storage capacities, and subsea cable connection capacities under various combinations of infrastructure cost, rSOC system efficiencies, and electricity prices for one of the scenarios. Preliminary results for a 600 MW wind farm situated 60 km from shore combined with offshore hydrogen production illustrate the impact of electricity price on decision-making in energy dispatch and on optimization of infrastructure of an ORE-rSOC system. Results indicate that high electricity price fluctuations call for large amounts of hydrogen production and storage capacity. Further refinement of input data would make this approach a promising decision-making tool for the use in the design of an ORE-rSOC system

Neutral pion decay in dense skyrmion matter

We study the density dependence of the decay $\pi^0\to \gamma \gamma$ using the Skyrme Lagrangian to describe simultaneously both the matter background and mesonic fluctuations. Pion properties such as mass and decay constant are modified by the medium. This leads to large suppression at high density of both photo-production from the neutral pion and the reverse process. The in-medium effective charge of $\pi^{\pm}$ are also discussed in the same framework.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures. Corrections in light of referee comment

The bohmion method in nonadiabatic quantum hydrodynamics

Starting with the exact factorization of the molecular wavefunction, this paper presents the results from the numerical implementation in nonadiabatic molecular dynamics of the recently proposed bohmion method. Within the context of quantum hydrodynamics, we introduce a regularized nuclear Bohm potential admitting solutions comprising a train of $\delta$-functions which provide a finite-dimensional sampling of the hydrodynamic flow paths. The bohmion method inherits all the basic conservation laws from its underlying variational structure and captures electronic decoherence. After reviewing the general theory, the method is applied to the well-known Tully models, which are used here as benchmark problems. In the present case of study, we show that the new method accurately reproduces both electronic decoherence and nuclear population dynamics

An active noise reduction system for aircrew helmets

An active noise reduction system was developed for use in aircrew flying helmets in which the acoustic noise field inside the ear defender is detected using a miniature microphone and an antiphase signal is fed back to a communications telephone within the ear defender. Performance of the active noise reduction system in a laboratory trial simulating flight conditions is shown to be satisfactory