Learning Experiences in Programming: The Motivating Effect of a Physical Interface

A study of undergraduate students learning to program compared the use of a physical interface with use of a screen-based equivalent interface to obtain insights into what made for an engaging learning experience. Emotions characterized by the HUMAINE scheme were analysed, identifying the links between the emotions experienced during programming and their origin. By capturing the emotional experiences of learners immediately after a programming experience, evidence was collected of the very positive emotions experienced by learners developing a program using a physical interface (Arduino) in comparison with a similar program developed using a screen-based equivalent interface

Learning Dimensions: Lessons from Field Studies

In this paper, we describe work to investigate the creation of engaging programming learning experiences. Background research informed the design of four fieldwork studies involving a range of age groups to explore how programming tasks could best be framed to motivate learners. Our empirical findings from these four studies, described here, contributed to the design of a set of programming "Learning Dimensions" (LDs). The LDs provide educators with insights to support key design decisions for the creation of engaging programming learning experiences. This paper describes the background to the identification of these LDs and how they could address the design and delivery of highly engaging programming learning tasks. A web application has been authored to support educators in the application of the LDs to their lesson design

Metaheuristics for black-box robust optimisation problems

Our interest is in the development of algorithms capable of tackling robust black-box optimisation problems, where the number of model runs is limited. When a desired solution cannot be implemented exactly (implementation uncertainty) the aim is to find a robust one. Here that is to find a point in the decision variable space such that the worst solution from within an uncertainty region around that point still performs well. This thesis comprises three research papers. One has been published, one accepted for publication, and one submitted for publication. We initially develop a single-solution based approach, largest empty hypersphere (LEH), which identifies poor performing points in the decision variable space and repeatedly moves to the centre of the region devoid of all such points. Building on this we develop population based approaches using a particle swarm optimisation (PSO) framework. This combines elements of the LEH approach, a local descent directions (d.d.) approach for robust problems, and a series of novel features. Finally we employ an automatic generation of algorithms technique, genetic programming (GP), to evolve a population of PSO based heuristics for robust problems. We generate algorithmic sub-components, the design rules by which they are combined to form complete heuristics, and an evolutionary GP framework. The best performing heuristics are identified. With the development of each heuristic we perform experimental testing against comparator approaches on a suite of robust test problems of dimension between 2D and 100D. Performance is shown to improve with each new heuristic. Furthermore the generation of large numbers of heuristics in the GP process enables an assessment of the best performing sub-components. This can be used to indicate the desirable features of an effective heuristic for tackling the problem under consideration. Good performance is observed for the following characteristics: inner maximisation by random sampling, a small number of inner points, particle level stopping conditions, a small swarm size, a Global topology, and particle movement using a baseline inertia formulation augmented by LEH and d.d. capabilities

The inverse-square law and quantum gravity

A program is described which measures the gravitational acceleration of antiprotons. This idea was approached from a particle physics point of view. That point of view is examined starting with some history of physics over the last 200 years

Ultralong-range radiative excitation transfer between quantum dots in a planar microcavity

We study the system of two quantum dots lying on the central plane of a planar semiconductor microcavity. By solving the full Maxwell problem, we demonstrate that the rate of resonant excitation transfer between the two dots decays as $d^{-1/2}$ as a function of the distance $d$ at long distance. This very long-range mechanism is due to the leaky and guided modes of the microcavity, which act as effective radiative transfer channels. At short distance, the $d^{-3}$ dependence of the F\"orster mechanism, induced by the electrostatic dipole-dipole interaction, is recovered

Relationships between nitric oxide, nitroxyl ion, nitrosonium cation and peroxynitrite

AbstractThis review is concerned mainly with the three redox-related, but chemically distinct, species NO−, NO⋅ and NO+, with greatest emphasis being placed on the chemistry and biology of the nitroxyl ion. Biochemical routes for the formation of nitroxyl ion and methods for showing the intermediacy of this species are discussed, together with chemical methods for generating nitroxyl ion in solution. Reactions of nitroxyl ion with NO⋅, thiols, iron centres in haem and with dioxygen are reviewed The significance of the reaction between NO− and dioxygen as a source of peroxynitrite is assessed, and attention drawn to the possible significance of the spin state of the nitroxyl ion in this context. The biological significance of nitrosation and the importance of S-nitrosothiols and certain metal nitrosyl complexes as carriers of NO+ at physiological pH is stressed. Some features in the chemistry of peroxynitrite are noted

Colour Charges and the Anti-Screening Contribution to the Interquark Potential

Asymptotic freedom arises from the dominance of anti-screening over screening in non-abelian gauge theories. In this paper we will present a simple and physically appealing derivation of the anti-screening contribution to the interquark potential. Our method allows us to identify the dominant gluonic distribution around static quarks. Extensions are discussed.Comment: 7 pages, LaTe

Responses of the Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata) to Human Disturbance

Habitat loss and habitat degradation are major drivers of the current biodiversity crisis. Nowhere else are these threats more severe than in the tropics. Because the tropics are estimated to contain as much as 60% of all the species on Earth, they are critically important for the conservation of biodiversity. To conserve species we need to understand both the factors that lead to extinction and how the taxa that persist are able to adapt to the rapid anthropogenic change of their environment. The Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata) is a Neotropical galliform bird of conservation concern because it faces a rapidly changing environment. The goal of this thesis is two fold: 1) to expand our understanding of the natural history of the Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata), and 2) to document the behavioral responses of this species to different levels of anthropogenic habitat modification. Chapter One describes a radiotelemetry study of adult males. This investigation is the first published record of the home range use and movement patterns of adult males of this species during the breeding season. These birds shohome ranges that were highly variable in size and composition (MCP x ?x= 969 ± 922 ha, 95%FK x ?x= 692 ± 819 ha, 50%FK x ?x= 90 ± 138 ha). In comparison to other similarly sized Galliformes, the Ocellated Turkey home range is quite large. The average movement rate also varied greatly between individuals (x ?x= 437 ± 264 m/h). A few individuals restricted their movements to intact forest only, while others spent all day in open pasture. The majority of radiotagged males (7 of 12) spent 50% or more of their time in areas without closed canopy cover. Chapter Two describes the association of habitat disturbance with male movement patterns and select indicators of health. There were no significant differences in home range size, blood and fecal parasites, feather barring regularity, male fleshy ornaments, and H:L ratios among the disturbance types. Additionally, most of the feather reflectance data did not significantly differ between disturbance levels (low, intermediate, and high), but I did find differences in the blue ocelli of the secondary tail coverts among disturbance levels. The dominant ultraviolet spectrum hue of the ocelli were negatively correlated with coccidian parasite load but the dominant red spectrum hue was positively correlated with this parasite. Chapter Three presents various results from the field study that further our knowledge of the natural history of this species, including an analysis of flocking behavior, fecal parasite distribution at the landscape level, and notes on predator inspection behavior, the submission display of non-breeding males and their early attempts at courtship. Flocks were larger and sholess vigilance in open habitat but did not have a different foraging there compared to flocks in the forest. Mapping of the number of parasites found in feces identified “hot spots” with high concentrations of parasites, which surprisingly included a shade coffee grove. Young males used the double wing turn behavior to deflect aggression from alpha males. Incomplete action patterns for gobbling and strutting were observed in young male flocks. The results of this study suggest that a matrix of rainforest and cattle pasture is not harmful to Oocellated Tturkey health, although further studies that include measures of survivorship and fecundity are needed to model accurately this species’ population viability in an anthropogenic environment