Computational Thinking Integration into Middle Grades Science Classrooms: Strategies for Meeting the Challenges

This paper reports findings from the efforts of a university-based research team as they worked with middle school educators within formal school structures to infuse computer science principles and computational thinking practices. Despite the need to integrate these skills within regular classroom practices to allow all students the opportunity to learn these essential 21st Century skills, prior practice has been to offer these learning experiences outside of mainstream curricula where only a subset of students have access. We have sought to leverage elements of the research-practice partnership framework to achieve our project objectives of integrating computer science and computational thinking within middle science classrooms. Utilizing a qualitative approach to inquiry, we present narratives from three case schools, report on themes across work sites, and share recommendations to guide other practitioners and researchers who are looking to engage in technology-related initiatives to impact the lives of middle grades students

TIME COURSE OF CHANGES IN STRADDLE JUMP AND VERTICAL JUMP PERFORMANCE AFTER ACUTE STATIC STRETCHING IN ARTISTIC GYMNASTS

The aim of the present study was to examine the time course of changes of the effects of static stretching on straddle jump, vertical jump height and flexibility after performing dynamic movements in artistic gymnasts. The study was participated by 14 female artistic gymnasts aged between 9 and 14. Vertical jump heights were measured using the New Test 2000 testing device. Flexibility measurement was performed with sit and reach flexibility test. Artistic gymnastics-specific jump movement was evaluated looking at the angle between lower extremities using the Dartfish motion analysis program. Baseline measurements taken before the standard warm-up and the measurements taken after static stretching were assessed. Four sets of gymnastics moves each lasting two minutes were performed. The tests were repeated after each set. Static stretching was found to affect vertical jump performance significantly. Significant differences were found between Jump(2) and Jump(1) (p=0.01), Jump(2) and Jump(3) (p=0.03), Jump2 and Jump(4) (p=0.01), Jump(2) and Jumop(5) (p=0.004), and Jump(2) and Jump6 (p=0.009). In flexibility-related changes, significant differences were found between Reach(2) and Reach(3) (p=0.03), and Reach(2) and Reach(6) (p=0.006). Static stretching was found to have no significant effect on the lower extremity straddle jump degree. In conclusion, although the static stretching protocol reduced vertical jump performance significantly, it did not affect the artistic gymnastics-specific jump move. The negative effects of static stretching on jump height approached the baseline value approximately 4 minutes later

Evaluation of flow behavior for clearance brush seals

Dogu, Yahya/0000-0003-0474-2899WOS: 000253484200031The industrial applications of brush seals have been increasing due to their superior sealing performance. Advances in the understanding of seal behavior have been pushing the design limits to higher-pressure load, temperature, surface speed, and rotor excursion levels. The highest sealing performance can be achieved when the bristle pack maintains contact with the rotor surface. However due to many design and operational constraints, most seals operate with some clearance. This operating clearance cannot be avoided due to rotor runouts, transient operating conditions, or excessive bristle wear. In some applications, a minimum initial clearance is required to ensure a certain amount of flow rate for component cooling or purge flow. Typically, brush seal failure occurs in the form of degraded sealing performance due to increasing seal clearance. The seal performance is mainly characterized by the flow field in close vicinity of the bristle pack, through the seal-rotor clearance, and within the bristle pack. This work investigates the flow field for a brush seal operating with some bristle-rotor clearance. A nonlinear form of the momentum transport equation for a porous medium of the bristle pack has been solved by employing the computational fluid dynamics analysis. The results are compared with prior experimental data. The flow field for the clearance seal is observed to have different characteristics compared to that for the contact seal. Outlined as well are the flow features influencing the bristle dynamics